aüäyäna

Sütras
Selections from the
Mahäratnaküta Sütra

GARMA C. C. CHANG
 A Treasury of
Mahayana Sutras
Selections from the Maharatnakuta Sutra
大寶積經

Translated from the Chinese by

The Buddhist Association of the United States
Garm a C. C. Chang, General Editor

The Pennsylvania State University Press

University Park and London
The Buddhist Association of the United States
Chief Translator: Fayen Koo
Translators: Shu-Lien Miao
Yang-chu Hsu
Yi-tze Liu
Kuang-mo Ho
Editors: V.S. Brown
Walter Hsieh
Janet Gyatso
T.C. Tsao
 Published in cooperation w ith
丁h 、
' Institute for A d v an ced Studies o f W o rld R eligions
N e w Y o rk , N .Y .

T itles in the IA S W R Series

Buddhist Monastic Discipline: The Sanskrit Pratm oksa Sutras of the

Mohasamphikas and MxHasan'astivadms, bv C harles S. Prebish.

Sutra of the Past I 'ou'S o f Earth S k n 7 Bodhisattva: I tie Cuuecwa c, ^

Tripnaka Master H suan H ua, tran sla ted by H e n g Ching.

A vatar a: The H um anization o f Philosophy Through the Bhagavad Gita, by

A n to n io T . d e Nicolas.

Scripture of the Lotus Blossom o f the Fine Dharvia, translated by L eo n H urvitz.

Library o f Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Tripitaka. Sutrapitaka. Ratnakuta. English.
Selections.
A treasury o f M ahayana sutras.
I. Chang, Chen-chi, 1920- . II. Buddhist
Association o f the U nited States. III. Title.
B Q 1752.E5 1983 2 9 4 .3 ^ 5 82-42776
ISBN 0-271-00341-3

C o p y rig h t © 1983 T he Pennsylvania State U niversity

All rights reserved
D esigned by D olly C arr
P rinttd.in the U n ited States o f Amcrica
Contents

A c k n o w led g e m en ts Vll

P ro lo g u e ix

I. O n M A y A a n d M ir a c les
1 T h e P ro p h e c y o f the M agician B h ad ra's
A tta in m e n t o f B u d d h a h o o d (Sutra 21) 3

II. O n E m p t in e s s
2 T h e D e m o n s tra tio n o f the Inconceivable State
o f B u d d h a h o o d (Sutra 35) 27
3 Flaw less P urity: A D ia lo g u e w ith the L a y w o m e n
G a n g o tta ra (Sutra 31) 37
4 H o w to Kill the S w o rd o f W isd o m (Sutra 36) 41
5 A D isco u rse on R e a d y E lo q u en ce (Sutra 33) 73
6 M an ju sri's D isco urse on the P aram ita
o f W is d o m (Sutra 46) 100
7 T h e P ro p h e c y o f B o d h isattv a Fearless V irtu e ’s ' -
A tta in m e n t o f B u d d h a h o o d (Sutra 32) 115
8 T h e U n iv ersal D h a r m a - D o o r to the
Inconceivable (Sutra 10) 134
 Thv Ir L-xhausnble Stores o f W is d o m (Sutra 20)
： 149
T he Prediction o f M a n ju sri's A tta in m e n t
o f B u d d h a h o o d (Sutra 15) 164

::: O n the L ig h t of the T athagata

•二 T h e M anifestatio n o f Lights (Sutra 11) 191

I \ '. O C o n s c io u sn e s s
n
12 T h e E lucidation o f C onsciousness (Sutra 39) 223

V. O n V ir t u e a n d D is c ip l in e
13 B o d h is a ttv a S u ra ta ’s D isco urse (S utra 27) 243
14 S u m a ti's Q u estio n s (S utra 30) 256
15 T h e D efinitive V in ay a (Sutra 24) 262
16 A b id in g in G o o d and N o b le D e p o r tm e n t (Sutra 44) 280

V I. OP ure L a nd
n
17 T h e D h a r m a - D o o r o f Praising T a th a g a ta
A k so b h y a 's M erits (Sutra 6) 315
18 T h e L a n d o f U tm o s t Bliss (Sutra 5) 339

V II. OG en era l M a h a y a n a D o c t r in e
n
19 T h e T ru e L io n ’s R o ar o f Q u e e n Srim ala (Sutra 48) 363
20 T h e S utra o f A ssem b led T reasures (Sutra 43) 387
21 D ia lo g u e w ith B o d h isattv a Infinite W is d o m (S utra 45) 415

V III. OS k il l f u l M ea n s
n
22 O n the P a ra m ita o f In g en u ity (Sutra 38) 427

G lo ssary 469

N u m erical G lossary 487

Acknowledgem ents

M r. K uang-\fo Ho and M i. Tzt-Minj^ Vari( both partidpated in thf transhtiort work for
some time. We afbtowtfdge our gratiiuiie to them.
The work o f th t U .S . team is greatly apprecialtd, T ht team membfrs are: Dr. T.
Cttary, Mr. D . Fox, Rev. L . Jamspal, Afj. N . A . Larke, Dr. N . Maxwell, Pro/. R.
Thurman, and Ms, L . Zahler.
Ouf o f his kindness and cnthtisiiism. Dr. C . T . Shat invited various Buddhist
schciars to review cmain chapters at the thinning ojth e translation work. These reviewers
are: Dr. T . W. B a ry, Prof R ,S . Y. C h “ Rev. Jen Chin^, Pro/ D . Daye, Dr. C .S .
Gccrgt, Dr. Charles Lu k t Prof. W. Pachou\ Dr, J , Penley, Dr. W. StabUin, Prof，
C .N . T a yf Prof, R. Thurman, Pro/ T .C . Tsao, Prof. S .H . Waf\t Ms. C . Wu Whang,
Dr, T , T . Vi, artJ in particular, the members o f the Sin<hAmerican Buddhist Association.
In its Jinal stages the work was abo tevicw td by D r.J . Gyatso. W t art so all for
their tfatuabte £ommettis.
Mr. P .C . Ko provided administratw< assistantc for the Institute, and Vm, } t Hui
offered us valuable research assistant. We appreciate their kindness.
Wc also thank Drs. W. W. Hsu and H. V. L i for their inspiraiiort in thf formation o f
tht Institute.
Vtn, Yin the rrnown Buddhist scholar, graciously allowed the Institute to use
the facilities o f Fu Ym Tempif in Hsituhu. Wt thank him jo t his genfrosity and for his
kind help in interpirtin 文 certain passagts for tht translators.
Prologue

Origin and History of This Work

M any important scripturcs o f Theravlda Buddhism have been transUtcd into En­
glish in the pa&c few decadcs. H ow ever, translations o f Mahayana sutras remain
scarce, though interest seems to have grow n rapidly in rcccnt years. T o make the
major texts o f Mahayana Buddhism available to rcadcn o f English, M r, C , T . Shcn
o f the Buddhist Association o f the United States launched a project to translate the
Chinese Tripitaka into English. His aim was to introduce to che West hitherto
unavailable Mahayana scripturcs for general readers, Dharnia-seckcrs> and schoUrs
alike. A team t>f Chinese scholars in T aiw an was form ed to undere^ke the trantU -
(ion u sk .
A m ong the major Mahayana sutra groups, the M^kdrattiakuta Sutrat the G m X
Jew cl-H cap Sttra« here rendered A Tnasury o f Alahayaua Sutras^ is one o f the most
voluminous. It is actually not one sutra, but a prodigious collccrion o f forty-nine
different sutras which covcr a manifold range o f topics. In order co provide a broad
perspective o f Mahayana doctrinc^ M r. Shcn chose this work as the fir$C to be
translated.
Under the leadership o f M r Shcn and M r. Faycti Koo* the translation o f the
entire Xfaharatnakuta Siitra^ totalling more than 2 millicn words, was completed in
the faJl o f 197&. W c, the translators and editors^ then faccd a very difficult prob­
lem: Should w c publish the sutra group in its entirely, or selcct those sutras which
arc most uscfut to general readers? After much consideration, w e dccidcd upon the
latter coursc and sclcctcd tw enry-tw o sutras for publication.
x P rologue

The Role of Mahayana Sutras

Despite the vastncss o f M ahayiru literature 2nd its subtle 2nd complcx doctrincs,
the ccntral tenets o f the Mahayana can be generally summarized under (he topics o f
the pcrfcction and infinity o f Buddhahood^ and the aspiration for and the path
leading to chat stale. Although the infinity o f Buddhahood is usually dcscribcd
by negative terms such as Minconccivablc," "unutterable," “ beyond the r a c h o f
th o u g h t, and the like, ic can also be described positively, as in the following
sutcm cnt:

The infinity o f Buddhahood is the two-in-onc o f great wisdom

and grear compassion: the way that leads 10 iu realiution is the pnctice
o f those virtues which arc in consonancc with this wisdom/compis&ion
whole.

The bulk o f Mahayana sutras. including the Afd/tartfrmifcurji, present wisdom

and compassion as their tw o cardinal themes. Compassion is perhaps cosier to
understand, for w c Kavc j!) cxpcricnccd it at one time or another. However, (hat
which is totally transcendent_ the Mwisdom tKat goes beyond," or prajriapara-
mita~ i s almost impossible 10 explain. H o w can one understand that which is
simultaneously cxistcn【 and nonexistent,【ranscendcnul and mundane, a state often
described as totally beyond words and thought?
T o express the inexpressible and to enable man to McatchM that which is
totally transcendent or empty. Buddhism in the coursc o f history has developed a
great variety o f methods. A s an example, for the intclltauilly inclined, M adhya-
mika philosophy wipes out the limited intellect by rcjccting and refuting all philo*
sophical view s; when views are abandoned* the door lo the understanding o f
emptiness wilJ eventually open. For those w h o revolt against Buddhist c)ichc$ and
prefer 1 dircct approach, Zen Buddhism provides kenn cxcrciscst “ shock treat­
ment" (in the form o f kick^, blows, or enigmatic remarks), and serene refleccive
meditation. One will thus see pcnccralingly into one's ow n mind and thereby
awaken to various degrees o f Wu or Satori cxpchcncc.
The problem is that not everyone is inclined to Madhyamika or Zen, and
both these approaches can be misleading and dangerous without proper guidance.
Th e greatest danger o f Midhyatnika study is that one m iy fill into the extreme
view o f mhilism, or, with one's head stuffed with hair-splitting polemics, bccomc
cynical towards everything, including the basic teachings o f Buddhism. Eventually
this can lead to confusion and a total cotlapsc o f faith. The method o f Nagaijuna
and his eminent followers was effective in some cjscs, but there also have been
many Dturma-scckcrs w ho bccamc pedants and at their dcath*bcds found thrir
entire lives wasted by cxccssivc study o f acadcvnic Buddhism. B y its proliferating
pedantry, M adhyam il» lud long ccascd to be a dircct means o f liberation; it had
 P rologue

become an out-of-date academic discipline with questionable religious and prag­

matic values.
Concerning Zeo Buddhism , no one can deny its great contribution in bring­
ing thousands to dircct realization. Zen is emptiness in action, the living prajn ip i-
ramita. It is hard to find words to praise Zen adequately. The more one studies and
practices Dharma, the more one appreciates 2nd admires Zen. H ow ever, without
proper guidance and sufficicnc preparation, Zen can also be dangerous and futile.
B y misconstruing a pscudo-cxpcricncc as true enlightenment, one may develop an
unwarrinted sclf-conccit. Zen can also inducc i dcvil-m ay-<arc attitude and one
may eventually lose all ground in one's Dharmic efforts.
The pitfalls o f these and other Buddhist schools, however, arc not unavoid­
able; they can easily be cschcw cd by frequently seeking guidance kn the sutras.
Buddhist sutras arc rather plain and evident; they contain straightforward Dhartna
(caching, often i n 【he form o f dialogues, with an occasional insertion o f an allegory
to illustrate a specific point. Therefore, they arc least likely to be misunderstood.
Although w c cinnot claim that Mahayana sutras are simple enough to be easily
understood by everyone* it is quite obvious that they arc relatively easier to under­
stand than the literature o f M adhyam ika and Zen. Furthermore, sutras arc the
sourcc o f all Buddha-Dharmas; all Buddhist schools (including M idhyam ika and
Zen) look upon the sutras as chcir guide and final arbiter. This i$ w h y w c tu v c
given first priority to the translation o f the sutras.

Special Characteristics of the Maharatnakuta Siitra

In working with the Maharatnakuta, w c observed the following points:
1. W c have found this w o rk to contain a broad coverage o f various subjects.
T h e topics discusscd range from the monastic preempts (Vinaya) to intuitive w is­
dom {prajm)t from good deportment to the manifcstacion o f the Tach agm *& lights
from illusion (m i/i) and ingenuity {upaya) to the nature o f consciousncss and the
Pure Land practicc. It can perhaps be callcd a small cncydopcdia o f Mahayana
Buddhism, which should be useful to genera] readers as well is to schoUrs.
2. Emptiness, or sunyata, is the outstanding, if noc unique teaching o f Bud­
dhism. It is the ccntrj] pillar o f the Mahayana cdificc. and every Buddhist school
has its ow n w a y o f dealing with this doctrinc. Here in the Maharatnakuta, w e find
elaborate discussions on emptiness in different settings, from different angles, and
with different intcrprelations. It is perhaps one o f the mosr elaborate documents on
cmpcincss in Buddhist literature. Through (he introduction o f Prajnaparamita,
Madhyam ika, and Zen literature, the doctrine o f emptiness is already familiar in
the W csi; nevertheless* w c believe (hat this book will cnhancc the understanding o f
the teaching o f emptiness 2nd its far-rcaching significjincc.
3. The modem reader w ill most likely find fault with the Maharatnakuta
x ii P ro lo g u e

Sutra for its rcpctitiousncss, stereotyped formulas, 2nd cxcessivc nuincncil lists o f
m axim s. A s far as literary style is conccrncd, w c are sympathcric to these criri-
cisms. O n the other hand* it should be noted that many o f these shortcomings in
literary style arc not without value for rdigious practicc, bccausc through repeated
reading and mindfulness, new religious insight can com c forth. It is common
Buddhist cxpcricncc that realization can be engendered through long years o f
frequent rccitation o f surras. Therefore, the purpose o f reading a Buddhist sutra is
not only co grasp its meaning, but also to acquirc religious insight and cxpcricncc.
T o a c h ie v c 【his one should not just re a d 【he sutra oncc and digest the information
therein, but should read it again and again, even out loud, s o 【hit the words o f the
sutra becom e totally absorbed into one's subconscious mind. This is tantamount to
letting the sutra take over the mind and run its course to reach the beyond. It is for
this reason that the intemioiut repetition in Buddhist scripturcs should not be
treated entirely as » defect, but rather as a constructive and bcncftcial method for
Dharm a practicc.
Nevertheless* to avail the modem readers w h o n u y not be able to ipprcciatc
the volum e o f repetition in this sutra, w c have adopted tw o w ays o f handling Ihe
text:
a. T h e texts which w c felt arc significant and readable were left intact.
b. W c made some deletions in those sutras which have portions chat arc
extrem ely prolix, repetitious, or insignificinc in our view . M ost o f the deletions
involve only a few sentences; in a few cases a page or tw o were left out. All
deletions have been itidicatcd by the insertion o f three ellipsis points in the appro­
priate hiatus.
4. In our translation o f the Maharatnakuta w c have attempted consistently to
offer the closest English rendering o f the original text. H ow ever, in those eases
where a technical term has too broad a meaning to be adequately represented by ah
equivalent English term, w c have retained the Sanskrit word. The reader is urged
to consult the glossary at the end o f this volume {or all Sanskrit terms, as well as

(or a variety o f English phrases which have a spccul meaning in Buddhism. A

numerical glossary has also been provided for the standard lists o f items o f Bud­
dhist doctrinc.

A Brief Introduction to the Selected Texts

T h e \fahdratnakuta Sutra in its present form as found in the Chinese Tripitaka

consists o f forty-nine sutras .1 They arc noc grouped together in difTcrcnt sections
1, For a fumtnary of the history o f the M aftaratiM k u tJ texts, sec K. Priscilli Pedersen,
"Notes on the Ratnakuta CoDcction** Jauntai 0/thf IrUffnationat Aiswuttiott c f Huddhist Studits^
3
Vol. , No. ( 2 1980 60 66
): - . For an jnalysis o f the various tnnstjtions of the collection, sec
3
Richard A. < * 『
d, cd.. Buddhist Text injormaibn. No. 20(jutic 1979
):l-l I; No. 22 (l)cccmbcr
1979) ：5- 8; No- 28 (June 1980)：5- 11; and foHowtng issues.
 Prologue x iii

according to their contents, nor to a chronological order. W hy these sutras are

arranged in their present sequence and form remains a puzzle to us. Wc have
consulted m an y scholars b u t failed to find a satisfactory answer. O u r guess is that
the forty-nine sutras w ere collected haphazardly thro ug h o u t the ages w ith o u t a
prem editated plan or scheme. Therefore, to facilitate com prehension w e have taken
the liberty to re-group the selected tw en ty -tw o sutras into eight sections according
to their contents, and a new tabic o f contents has been provided to substitute for
the traditional Chinese arrangement. A few w ords o f introduction to these sutras
are given below.

Section I: On Mdyd and Miracles

This topic is elucidated by the story o f the magician B h adra’s contest o f m agic
pow er w ith the Buddha. T he emphasis here is that the B u d d h a’s superior p o w e r is
n o t attained th ro u g h spells, magic formulas, deity w orship, or even m editation
power. It is attained, rather, through the full realization o f illusion (mdyd) and the
cultivation o f virtues and altruistic deeds. T he central them e o f M ahayana B ud­
dhism, the cultivation and perfection o f w isdom and compassion, is stressed here.

Section II: On Emptiness

Nine sutras were sclectcd to cover this teaching. Emptiness can be illustrated by
one w ord, e.g., the vow el A \ by one stanza, e.g., the first gatha o f the M adhyam i-
kakarika; by one sheet o f paper, e.g., the Heart or through the innum erable
volumes o f Prajnaparam ita literature. T he contents and depth o f emptiness are
regarded by Buddhists as all-embracing and inexhaustible, and its teaching is the
basis o f M adhyam ika, Zen, and most other schools o f M ahayana. It is our hope
that the nine sutras included herein m ay further understanding and appreciation o f
this all-im portant subject.

Section III: On the Light of the Tathagata

A m o n g the tw en ty -tw o sutras presented in this volum e, The M anifestation o f Lights
is perhaps the m o st difficult one to com prehend. T he central question is: What is
this so-called “light ”？Is it sim ply a ccrtain kind o f lum inous entity such as rays or
beams o f light, or is it the spiritual illumination, the so-called “mystical lig h t”
testified to by m an y mystics? T o give an exact answ er is difficult. N oticeably, the
lights treated in this sutra seem to denote all the dynamic aspects o f Buddhahood,
i.e., the Sam bhogakaya and N irm anakaya, and all m erits and functions o f Tatha-
gatahood are expressed in terms o f light. O ne even has the impression that all
essential principles o f M ahayana B uddhism are given in term s o f this light.
In general, religious experience and achievement arc often linked w ith light.
W ords such as ‘illum ination, ，‘enlightenm ent,’ ‘revelation,，and so forth all im ply
that these experiences are so m eh o w o r o th er related to light. T he O ld T estam ent
states that G od is spirit and G od is light. B uddha A m itabha means ‘Infinite L ig ht.’
 P ro lo g u e

W c c^n even go so far as to say chat in Buddhism, all achievements in meditation

2nd intuitivc-cognition practice {lamatha-vipaiyand) can be appraised by the realize
tion o f difTcrcnt kinds or degrees o f light. Th e exact meaning, implication and
significance o f the various lights reported in this sutra arc perhaps beyond our ken
present, but w c believe that the material here will be o f iniportince to students
o f religious studies in the years to com c.

Section IV: On Consciousness

T h e reader will fi n d 【hat ihc consciousncss discusscd in this sucra is in many w ays
similar to the Yogacara idci o f (he store consciousness (dhyapijnana). It is our
belief tlut this sutra is one o f the forerunners or germinal sources o f the M ind-
O n ly philosophy o f the Y o g ic ir a school. A s is sutcd here. “ Th e consciousncss is
devoid o f form and substancc, yet it manifests itself b y feelings and conccption.
... it upholds all the dh^rmadhatu, . . . it is fully endowed with the p ow er o f
wisdom and can even kn o w events o f past lives, r , Consciousncss is the seed
which can bring forth the sprout o f various bodily forms is a result o f karnru.
Pcrccption, awareness, conccption, and m em ory atc all comprised in the conscious­
ncss. . . Htre, w c clearly se e 【he precurior o f the srorc consdou&re&s theory. For
those w h o are interested in the Buddhist vie w on consciousness^ this sucra should
be a useful rcfcrcncc.

Section V: On Virtue and Discipline

T w o short sutras were sclcctcd to introduce the basic m o n l codcs o f Buddhism ：
both texts arc simple and routine. The Definitive Vinaya is » very significant sutra;
it expounds upon the fundamcnca) principle and spirit o f the Bodhi&actva^pach and
spells out the difTcrcnccs between the Bodhisattvj's V in av* and that o f the Sra-
v»ka. T h e moral principles o f ihc Mahayana arc also set forth here. Abidin文 in Oood
and NobU Dtpcrimtnt Sutra attempts to define the true sramana; it also gives de­
tailed descriptions o f various kinds o f monks. T o most people, the required stan­
dard for che p crfca monk as set forth here may be coo rigorous, even frightening,
but to those w ho arc seriously interested in leading a monlc*s life* or in studying
monasticism. this sutra may serve as a valuable rcfcrcncc.

Section VI: On Pure Land

In the Maharatnakutat there arc tw o sutras conccm ing Buddha's Pure Land: both
arc included here in our sclcction. Sincc the majority o f people cannot successfully
perform the meditation and intuitive observation practicc, nor lead m ascctic m o­
nastic life, the alternative p^th o f Pure Land practicc is provided. B y the pow er o f
the original \ow& o f Buddha, such a practitioner is assured rebirth in a Pure Land*
which is not considered to be > heaven or cdcstUt paradise^ but rather an ideal
training ground for furthering onc*s journey toward enlightenment. According to
 P rologue

Buddhist tradition, there are innum erable Buddha's Pure Lands in the infinite
universes. T w o samples are described in the Maharatnakuta; one sutra contains a
discussion of B uddha A m itab h a’s Pure Land in the western direction, and the other
that o f B uddha Aksobhya in the east.

Section VII: On General Mahayana Doctrines

The True L ion’s Roar o f Queen Srimala is a short but quintessential text
covering m an y im p ortant teachings o f M ahayana Buddhism . There are already
several translations o f it in English. Som e passages in this sutra are extrem ely
obscure. W e hope that o u r translation and notes will facilitate further studies of
this text.
The Sutra o f Assembled Treasures is the original Ratnakuta Sutra. It gives
various adm onishm ents to the followers o f M ahayana, expounds on the right
observation o f the M iddle Way, and discusses the various kinds o f sramanas.
Dialogue w ith Bodhisattva Infinite Wisdom. This sutra defines the transcenden­
tal bodhicitta, deliberates on the merits and achievem ent o f the ten stages, and
describes the various visions acquired by the Bodhisattvas in the ten successive
stages.

Section VIII: On the Paramita of Ingenuity

Upaya ( 方便）is difficult to translate into English properly. It has been rendered as
skillfulness, ingenuity, expediency, and so forth, b u t n o n e o f these translations can
cover th e b ro ad implications o f th e w o rd . In this sutra, the basic m eaning and
specific implications o f upaya are discussed. Since th e advanced Bodhisattvas have
all perfected their upaya, h o w can they ever m ake any mistakes or blunders?
A meaningless or accidental act by an enlightened Bodhisattva is unthinkable.
Hence, the author o f this sutra is compelled to explain every deed o f Gautama
B uddha teleologically. W hen a religious leader is deified, new problem s ensue.
This is perhaps universal. We believe that this sutra will be highly interesting to
those w h o are interested in the com parative study o f religions and in the history o f
the developm ent o f B uddhist thought.
G arm a C .C . C hang
University Park, Pennsylvania
 I
On M dyd and Miracles
 1 授幻師跋跎羅記會

The Prophecy of the Magician Bhadra’s

Attainm ent of Buddhahood

T hus have I heard. Once the B uddha was dwelling on M o u n t G rdhrakuta near
Rajagrha, accompanied by twelve hundred fifty great m onks w h o were Arhats
k n o w n to all, and five thousand Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas w h o had achieved great,
miraculous pow ers to perform magical feats at will; had achieved the Realization
o f the N onarising o f D harm as; and had acquired dharanls. T h ey w ere led by
B odhisattva Lion, Bodhisattva Lion W isdom, Bodhisattva W onderful Sandalwood,
B odhisattva Subduer, Bodhisattva G reat Subduer, Bodhisattva Superior Light,
Bodhisattva Revealing Light, Bodhisattva Dignified Light, Bodhisattva A dorned
w ith Light, Bodhisattva Bright Enlightenm ent, Bodhisattva Assembly Leader,
Bodhisattva Subduer o f Sentient Beings, all the Bodhisattvas o f the W o rth y Kalpa,
B odhisattva-M ahasattva Maitrcya, the D h arm a Prince Manjusri, and others. T hey
w ere surrounded by the Four Great Deva Kings; Sakra; Brahm a, m aster o f the
Saha W orld; and incalculable numbers o f gods, dragons, yaksas, asuras, gandharvas,
kinnaras, mahoragas, and so forth .1
T he Tathagata, the W orld-H onored One, was renow ned th ro ug h o u t the
w orld as the Tathagata, the W orthy O ne, the Supremely Enlightened One, the
O ne Perfect in Learning and Conduct, the W ell-Gone O ne, the W orld-K now cr,
the U nexcelled O ne, the Great Tam er, the Teacher o f Gods and H um ans, the
Buddha, the W orld -H o n o red O ne, the A ll-K now ing O ne, the All-Seeing O ne. H e
had achieved the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, the four kinds o f unim peded
understanding, and the eighteen unique qualities o f a Buddha. H e had great kind­
ness and great compassion, possessed all the five kinds o f eyes, and was perfect in
Sutra 21，Taisho shinshu daizokyo 310, pp. 486—492; translated into Chinese by
Bodhiruci.
4 O n M A y A a n d M iracles

the miraculous ability to admonish people* to tcach them the Dhirm a, and to
w id d magical pow ers .2
He could set on 2 hair's tip a billion-world universe, with alt its earths, cities,
meadows, trees* forests* Mount Sumcrus, occans, rivers, and cclcstul pabces; he
also could make the universe remain uplifted in space without tilting or nioving at
all for one kalpi, more than one katpa, or as long as he wished.
A t that time， the king ，ministers, brahmins, lay devotees, and subjects in the
city o f Rijagrha all held the Tathagata in great esteem and rcspcctfully offered him
the best beverages^ food» clothing, bedding, in d medicine
In that city lived a n u g icu n named B h adn , who was well versed in hetero­
dox docthncs, skilled using spcllsf and was the foremost magician in the city ，
Everyone in the kingdom o f was bewitchcd b y him and believed in him,
cxccp【 those w ho had realized the truth, and the bym cn ^nd laywom en o f right
fxich.
Learning o f che merits and reputation o f the Tathagata, the magician thought,
“ N o w ， all the people in this city revere me, cxcep【 Srim ala Gautam a^ w h o not
yet been converted to m y w ay. I should go challenge him 10 a contest. If he yields
to me, I will be even more rcspcctcd by the people in the kingdom o f M ^gadh^.M
A t (hat time, the good seeds the magician had sown in his previous lives
were maturing, and by the blessing o f the Buddha 、 awesome, virtuous power,
Bhadra left the city o f Rajagrha for Grdhrakuta. There he saw the light o f the
Buddha, which surpassed hundreds o f thousands o f suns; the handsome facc o f the
Buddha, which was like 3 full moon; the pcrfcct body o f the Buddha, which w is
is well proportioned as a banyan tree; the white hair between the- Buddha's eye­
brow s, which was as pure as a brilliant pearl; and the Buddha's eyes* which were
deep blu e like a blue locus flower. The top o f the Buddha's head could not be seen
even b y those in the B n h m i Heaven. W iih his pure voicc o f sixty qualities ,4 he was
prcaching the Dharma to the multitude.
Although the m agiciin saw the cxtraordinjry, awe-inspiring majesty o f the
Tathagata^ he remained arrogant. He thought to himself, M
1 should test him now.
If he is the A ll-K n o w in g One and the All-Seeing One, he will know m y inccntion .*1
With this thought in mind, he approachcd the Buddha, prostrated himself
with his head at the Buddha^ fcci, and u id . **May the Tathagata accept my
meager offering to m orrow ."
Seeing that the rime had com c for the good roots o f the magician and the
other sentient beings in the city o f Rijagrha to mature, the W orld-Honored One
acccptcd the inviution in silcncc for the purpose o f bringing those good roots to
maturity.
When chc magician saw tha【 the World-Honored One h id acceptcd his
invitation, he thought, MGautama docs not know m y intention; he is definitely not
an AU-Knounng O n e , Then he bowed and took his leave.
Th e Venerable Maudgalyayana 5 was in the assembly at that time 2nd saw
what had happened. He jpproachcd the Buddha 2nd said to him. "Bhadra intends
 B h a d r a ’s A t t a i n m e n t of B uddhahood 5

to deceive the Tathagata and the m onks. May the W o rld-H onored O ne decline his
invitation!”
The B uddha told M audgalyayana, “D o not think in this way. O nly those
w h o have desire, hatred, and ignorancc can be deceived, but I eradicated those
defilements long ago, for I realized that not a single dharm a ever arises. I have been
firmly abiding in right action for m an y kalpas. H o w can anyone dcccive me?
“N o w , you should k n o w that the magician does not perform real magic, but
the Tathagata docs. W hy? Because the Tathagata realizes here and n o w that all
dharm as are illusory. E ven if all sentient beings were as skilled in magic as Bhadra,
all their magical pow ers com bined could not com pare w ith those o f the Tathagata,
even if their powers w ere multiplied by a hundred, a thousand, or any am ount,
numerical or figurative.”
T he B uddha asked M audgalyayana, “W hat d o you think? Can the magician
magically produce a billion-w orld universe and magnificently adorn all o f it?”
M audgalyayana answered, “N o .， ，
The B uddha said, “Maudgalyayana, you should know that I can magically
produce m agnificently adorned worlds, as num erous as the sands o f the Ganges,
inside a h air’s tip, and even this does n o t exhaust the Tathagata's miraculous
powers.
“M audgalyayana, you should k n o w that there is a great w ind w heel6 callcd
Breaker that can break a billion-w orld universe to pieces.
“T here is another w ind w heel called Great H urricane that can ruin worlds
and then rebuild them.
“T here is another w ind w heel called Propeller that can revolve worlds.
“T h ere is another w ind w heel called Sccure A biding that can blow as high as
th e Akanistha Heaven.
“T here is another w ind w heel called Scattercr that can w hirl aw ay and
scatter M o u n t Sumeru, the Black M ountain, and other mountains.
“T here is another w ind w heel called Fierce Flame that can blo w ficrce flames
up to the Brahm a H eaven during the raging conflagration at the end o f a kalpa.
“There is another w ind w heel called Q u cn ch er that can qucnch the raging
conflagration at the end o f a kalpa.
“T here is another w ind w heel called Cool that can cause a cloud to covcr a
billion-w orld universe.
“There is another w ind wheel called Universal D o w n p o u r that can pour
d o w n heavy rains on the w orlds du ring the raging conflagration at the end o f a
kalpa.
“M oreover, there is a w in d w heel called D rying U p that can dry up the
spreading flood at the end o f a kalpa. T h ere are so m an y w in d w heels that I could
not finish enum erating them even if I spoke until the end o f this kalpa. All this,
M audgalyayana, you should know .
“ W hat do you think? Can the magician dwell securcly in any o f these w ind
wheels for a m om ent?”
6 On M aya and M ir a c l e s

M audgalyayana answered, “ N o .”
T he B uddha told M audgalyayana, “The Tathagata can walk, stand, sit, and
lie undisturbed in the w in d wheels. T he Tathagata can also put those w ind wheels
into a m ustard seed and display their m otions w ith ou t the m ustard seed either
expanding or contracting, and w ithout the w ind wheels in the seed obstructing
cach other. M audgalyayana, you should k n o w that the feats o f magic accom ­
plished bv the Tathagata have no lim it.”
When the Venerable M aham audgalyayana and the assembly heard the T atha­
gata s w ords, they were all overw helm ed by w onder and awe. T h ey all bow ed
d o w n before the B uddha and exclaimed in unison, “Because w e have n o w m et the
great Teacher w h o has these aw e-inspiring miraculous powers, we arc greatly
blessed. O n e w h o has an opportunity to hear o f the w onderful miraculous powers
o f the Tathagata, the W o rld -H o n o red One, and generates profound faith and
understanding will certainly gain great blessings and bring forth a v o w to attain
suprem e enlightenm ent.”
T h at evening, the magician Bhadra went to the lowliest and dirtiest place in
the city o f Rajagrha and conjured up a very spacious, level, square site for teaching
the Dharma, adorned w ith banners and canopies o f colored silk, perm eated w ith
the fragrance o f flowers, and covered by a jewelled tent. H e also magically p ro ­
duced eight thousand row s o f jewelled trees. U n d e r each jew elled tree was a
lion-throne. T here were also num erous splendid cushioned seats. As offerings to
the monks, he further produced by magic hundreds o f courses o f the m ost deli­
cious food and drink, and five hundred servants dressed in white, ornam ented
clothing.
W hen these magical feats had been performed, the Four D eva Kings camc to
the site and told the magician, “In order to m ake offerings to the Tathagata
to m o rro w , you have magically produced these innumerable, beautiful things. B e­
cause o f this, you have achieved great merit. N o w , in order to help you m ake
offerings to the Tathagata, w e wish to produce by magic a second site for teaching
the D harm a. Will you allow us to do so?”
H earing this, the magician felt curious, and he gave them permission at
once. T hereupon, the Four D eva Kings magically produced myriads o f w onderful
ornam ents, twice as m an y as the magician had produced.
T h en Sakra, king o f gods, together w ith thirty thousand o f his celestial
subjects, came to the site and told the magician, “I ，too, wish to adorn the site,
because you are m aking offerings to the T ath a g a ta/5 A stounded, the magician gave
him permission, too. T hereupon Sakra, for the sake o f the Tathagata, magically
produced a hall as splendid as the palacc in the H eaven o f the T hirty-T hree. H e
also m agically pro d u ced parijata trees, kovidara trees,7 and o th er beautiful, celestial
trees, arranged in orderly rows.
Seeing all these, the magician exclaimed in w o nd er and felt remorse. H e
wished to w ithdraw the things he had conjured up, but th ey remained as they
were, in spite o f all his spells. “This is very strange,” he thought. “ In the past I
could at will make m y magical productions appear or disappear. But now I cannot
 B h a d r a ’s A t t a i n m e n t of B uddhahood 7

make these go away! This is surely because they are offerings for the Tathagata.
Reading the m agician’s thoughts, Sakra told him, “Yes, indeed. It is because
o f the Tathagata that you cannot m ake y our magnificent teaching site disappear.
Therefore, you should k n o w that if one brings forth even a single th o u g h t o f the
Tathagata, that good roo t will eventually act as a cause for that perso n ’s attainm ent
o f parinirv@ a.”
W hen he heard Sakra say this, the magician was very glad. T he next m o rn ­
ing, he w en t to the Tathagata and said, “W orld-H onored One, n o w I have finished
making all the preparations. Please be so kind as to co m e.”
Thus, on that m orning, the W orld-H onored O ne put on his robe, took up
his bowl, and w en t into the city o f Rajagrha to the magician’s teaching site,
together w ith the assembly that respectfully surrounded him.
T h e heterodox, the brahm ins, and others in the k in g d o m o f M agadha w h o
w anted the Tathagata to be deceived by the magician all came to the site hoping to
see that occur. A t the same time, m an y m onks, nuns, laymen, and layw om en also
came, because they all w anted to see the m iraculous feats o f the Tathagata and to
hear him preach in a lio n ’s roar.
T hen the Tathagata, by his miraculous powers, caused the magician, Sakra,
and the Four D eva Kings to see the W o rld-H onored O n e simultaneously at each o f
the places they had adorned.
Seeing this, the magician cast aw ay his arrogance and pride. H e approached
the Buddha, prostrated him self at his feet, and said, “ W orld-H onored O ne, n o w I
repent and confess m y w ro n g d o in g in the presence o f the Tathagata. Blinded by­
ignorance, I have tried to deceive th e B u d d h a by conjuring up various magnificent
adornm ents. Although I n o w feel remorseful, I cannot m ake m y magical creations
disappear.”
T he W orld-H onored O ne told the magician, “All sentient beings and m ate­
rial objects are illusory, like magic, conjured up by karma; all the m onks are also
illusory, like magic, conjured up by the Dharma; m y body is also illusory, like
magic, conjured up by w isdom ; a billion-world universe is also illusory, like
magic, conjured up by all sentient beings as a whole; all dharm as are illusory, like
magic, conjured up by com binations o f causes and conditions.
“ N o w you should offer to these people one by one the beverages and food
you have produced by y o u r m agic.”
Thereupon, the magician, the Four Deva Kings, Sakra, their retinues, and
their magically produced servants offered the beverages and food to the Buddha
and the Samgha. T h ey provided fully for everyone in the assembly.
T h en M ahakasyapa spoke in verse:

“Food is illusory:
Recipients, too, are illusions.
W hen a giver com prehends their equality,
His giving m ay be called pure.”
 O n M A yA a n d M i r a c l e s

M aham audgalyayana spoke in verse:

"Seats are illusory:

Those seated upon them , too, are illusions.
W hen a giver com prehends their equality,
His giving m ay be called p u re .”

Sariputra spoke in verse:

“Servants are illusory:

T he m inds o f those served, too, arc illusions.
W hen a giver com prehends this truth,
His giving m ay be called p u re .”

Subhuti spoke in verse:

“D o not sec giving as giving,

N o r regard receiving as receiving.
If a giver can do this,
His giving m ay be callcd p u re.”

A nanda spoke in verse:

“Gifts are em pty, like space,

A nd no recipient can be found.
W h en a giver is detached from body and mind,
His giving is purest.”

B odhisattva Banner o f Light spoke in verse:

“All dharm as are illusory,

Like the adornm ents
C onjured up by the magician,
B u t this is beyond the awareness o f fools.”

Bodhisattva A dorned w ith Light spoke in verse:

“ Scats and trees are all produced

B y an illusory mind.
W hat difference can there be
B etw een an illusory m ind and em p ty space?”

Bodhisattva Lion spoke in verse:

 B h a d r a ’s A t t a i n m e n t of Buddhahood 9

“A jackal is fearless
Before it hears the lio n ’s roar,
A nd grow ls and howls am ong the trees.
But once it hears the lio n ’s roar,
It will be at a loss to hide or run.
It is ju st so with the magician:
Before he m et the Tathagata,
H e boasted to the heretics
O f his superiority over the Buddha.
T h o u g h the m agician can conjure up objects,
His magical p o w e r is limited.
N o t so w ith the magical p o w er o f the Buddha,
W hich can never be exhausted;
N o god or dem on
Can k n o w its b o u n d s.”

Bodhisattva Lion W isdom spoke in verse:

“T o k n o w that food, drink,

Servants, and those w h o partake
Are all illusory, like magic,
Is the best offering o f all.”

Bodhisattva M aitreya spoke in verse:

“Just as a fire is intensified

W hen oil is poured u pon it,
So the W o rld -H o n o re d O n e ’s magic
Is m agnified by com parison w ith the magician’s.”

B odhisattva M anjusri spoke in verse:

“All virtuous deeds done in this assembly

H ave never come into being;
So it is w ith all dharmas:
E m pty, and passed into n o ught
In the forever unobtainable past.”8

At that time, the W o rld-H onored O ne, in order to bring Bhadra the m agi­
cian to m aturity, magically produced an elder approaching the assembly. T he m an
asked Bhadra, “W hat are you doing here ?， ，
T h e magician answered, “I am m aking offerings o f food and beverages to
Sramana G au tam a.”
10 O n M aya an d M iracles

T he elder told him, “Do not say that. Right now, the Tathagata and the
monks are taking the food offered to them in the palace of King A jatasatru.5'
Thereupon, by the m iraculous p o w er o f the Buddha, the m agician was able to see
the Tathagata and the m onks feasting there.
T hen the W orld-H onored O n e magically created a second elder, w h o also
asked the magician, “W hat are you doing here?”
T he magician answered, “I am m aking offerings to Sramana Gautam a."
T he second elder said, “ D o n o t say that. Right now , the Tathagata and the
m onks are begging for food in the streets w here the heterodox believers live." By
the m iraculous po w er o f the Buddha, the magician was able to see the Tathagata
and his venerable followers m aking the rounds o f the streets begging for food.
T h e n th e W orld-H onored O n e produced magically a third cider, w h o told
th e magician, “R ig h t now , th e Tathagata is teaching th e wonderful D h a rm a to the
four kinds of devotees in the garden of JIva, the most prom inent physician.”
T hereupon, b y the miraculous p o w er o f the Buddha, the magician was able to see
the Tathagata there.
T h en the W orld-H onored O n e crcated by m agic a sakra, w h o came to the
magician and said, “ Right now , the Tathagata is teaching the D harm a to the
assembly in the Heaven of the T h irty-T h ree•” T he magician again saw the T atha­
gata, this tim e teaching the essence o f the D harm a to a host o f gods.
H e also beheld the Tathagata, endow ed w ith the thirty-tw o auspicious signs
and the eighty m in o r ones, simultaneously present am ong the trees, flowers, and
foliage; upon countless lion-thrones; amid the walled streets in the city o f Rajagrha;
and in houses, halls, and o th er superior places. He also saw himself, in all the
placcs w here the Tathagata was, repenting and confessing his w rongdoings.
T h en the magician saw n o th in g except the B uddha everywhere. H e was
overw helm ed w ith jo y , w hereupon he attained the Samadhi o f the Recollection o f
the B u d d h a.9
C o m in g out o f samadhi, he joined his palms tow ard the B uddha and spoke
in verse:
“In the past, m y conjurations
W ere thought to be unexcelled in the world,
B u t n o w I see they cannot com pare
W ith even a tiny part
O f the miraculous powers o f the Buddha.
N o w I k n o w h o w inconceivable
A re the B u d d h a’s miraculous powers.
H e can at will produce
Manifested Buddhas as innumerable
As the sands o f the Ganges.
All the Tathagatas that I see
H ave the same auspicious signs.
 B h a d r a ’s A t t a i n m e n t of Buddhahood

M ay the W orld-H onored O n e show me

W hich one is the real Buddha.
I wish to m ake offerings
T o [one of] these Tathagatas.
M ay the W orld-H onored O n e tell me
W hich will lead m e to reap the suprem e fruit.
O rd in a ry people w h o do n o t esteem the Buddha
Will forfeit peace and happiness.
N ow , in the presence o f the W orld-H onored One.
I confess I have com m itted
T h e sin o f foolishly testing the Tathagata.
I hope this misdeed will be forever annulled.
M ay Brahma, Sakra, and the assembly
All bear witness for me:
In order to deliver sentient beings,
I n o w m ake a solemn v o w to strive for bodhi.
I shall enlighten all beings
W ith the light o f wisdom ;
I shall give them the nectar o f D harm a,
A nd fill the entire w orld w ith it.
H o w can a sensible person n o t aspire to bodhi
W hen he sees the Buddha perform
Such miraculous feats,
Hears his pleasant w ords, and witnesses
His w onderful deeds and unim peded wisdom ?
M ay the W orld-H onored O n e show me
T he w ay to bodhi and all pure deeds.
Pray show me the [superior] devotion
W hich is beyond Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas.
In what should one abide w hen practicing the D harm a?
H o w can one always w in respect and offerings?
H o w can one be dignified in demeanor?
H o w should one rem ove doubts and regrets,
Seek w ide learning tirelessly,
A nd firmly establish oneself in it?
H o w can one teach others the true D harm a
A n d cause them to delight in it?
H o w can one teach w ithout
Expecting material rewards?
 O n M a y a and M ira cle s

H o w can one be grateful and return favors?

H o w can one always be
A permanent friend o f sentient beings?
H o w can one avoid bad com pany
A nd associate w ith good friends?
H o w can one m eet Buddhas
A nd m ake offerings w ithout weariness?
W hat are the right subjects o f study
A nd h o w can one esteem and sanctify them?
W hat are the essential elements to produce samadhi?
H o w can one achieve a m ind
In h arm o n y w ith the truth,
A nd cast aw ay the m ind
In discord w ith the truth?
H o w can one acquire right thought?
H o w can one be free o f timidity and weakness
A nd becom e invulnerable to demons?
H o w should one contemplate the m eaning o f the D harm a?
H o w can one never forsake sentient beings?
W hat is to be preserved?
W hat should be em braced w ith o u t clinging?
H o w can one practice right action
A nd be endow ed w ith ingenuity?
H o w can one cultivate kindness and compassion,
A chieve miraculous powers,
Realize unim peded eloquence,
A nd acquire dharanls?
H o w can one attain the realization of the D harm a tru th 10
And obtain pure eloquence?
H o w should one abandon w h at m ust be abandoned?
H o w can one penetrate the profound doctrines?
H o w can one fulfill vow s and aspirations,
A nd gain nonregression from the paramitas?
I am willing to practice
All D harm as w ith diligence.
M ay the H onored O n e o f great compassion
Explain them for m e .”

T h e W orld-H onored O n e answered in verse:

 B h a d r a ’s A t t a i n m e n t of B uddhahood

“If one know s that all dharmas

Are like magic and illusions,
H e is able to produce magically
T he bodies o f ten billion Buddhas
A nd deliver beings in millions o f lands,
Just as by magic B hadra can conjure up
V arious things out o f nothing.
Things do n o t arise or cease;
N o r do they abide, comc, or go.
T he same is true o f the m onks
A nd the transform ation bodies11 o f Buddhas;
T h e y neither com e into being nor perish,
N o r attain nirvana.
All these arc the Tathagata's
Inconccivablc miracles.
Troops m ounted on elephants or horses
C onjured up by a magician
Arc m istaken for real
B y confused sentient beings.
In truth, these m ounted troops
Have no entity and do n o t arise.
Similarly, Buddhas have no real appcarancc;
T hey neither go nor come.
Those w h o hold a view o f a self
W rongly conceive an idea o f the Buddha.
O ne cannot contemplate the Tathagata
A ccording to appearance, caste,
Birthplacc, or pure voicc;
N o r can one discriminate Buddhas
By the m ind or consciousncss.
T he D h arm a-b o dy o f the Buddhas
Transccnds all time.
It is by nature free o f all forms
A nd beyond all categories o f dharmas.
Magically produced Tathagatas
By nature do n o t arise;
N o r have they aggregates, entrances, or elements.12
T hey do n o t depend on anything.
Similarly, the D harm a-body o f the Buddhas
C a n n o t be seen w ith the five kinds o f eyes.
O n M aya and M ira cles

If you claim you see a Buddha,

Y ou see no B uddha at all.
See the B uddha as you see the unseeable;
See him like the trace o f a bird flying in the sky.
T h e Buddhas you see
A nd the others you do not
A re equal and like em p ty space.
T h ey are identical,
U tterly indistinguishable.
All Tathagatas are undifferentiated
In their merits o f discipline,
meditation, wisdom, liberation,
A nd the know ledge and views
Derived from liberation.13
T h e y all abide in emptiness
A nd are detached from all dharmas.
T h ey are illusory, like magic,
W ithout a nature, and do not arise.
T o m ake offerings to one Tathagata
Is to m ake offerings to countless Buddhas,
For the D h arm a-b o d y o f all Buddhas
Is everyw here equal and undifferentiated.
Therefore, all Buddhas can confcr
Great blessings and benefits.
M aking offerings to any Tathagata,
[Real or magically produced,]
Will yield great fruit.
Since all Tathagatas have realized
T he equal, pure Dharm a-nature,
T hey are one, w ithout any difference.
Y ou asked w hich is the true Buddha;
Cast aside your distracted m ind
A nd heed m y words.
Abide in the w isdom o f right mindfulness
A nd observe all dharmas:
N o th in g arises at all,
B ut dharmas are m istaken for real.
If form arose, th en it w ould cease.
Tathagatas do not arise in any way,
 B h a d r a ’s A t t a i n m e n t of B uddhahood 15

A nd have never in the past arisen;

Therefore, they will not cease to be.
C ontem plate the Tathagata in this way;
See him as you do the unseeable;
T h en will you find that the Buddhas you sec
Abide nowhere.
\
U p o n the five^aggregates 一

D o all ordinary m en depend.

C ontem plate the aggregates
As you do the Buddhas!
T hen will you find
That Buddhas, dharmas, and sentient beings
H ave as their form the absence o f form;
T hey depend upo n nought.
If you take such a view,
Y ou will soon realize enlightenment.
N o dharmas in truth exist;
T hey arise from false discrimination.
Causes and conditions are em pty in essence,
For they lack a self w hich acts.
O n e w h o com prehends this
\ Will com prehend the unsullied, pure D harm a,
A nd see Tathagatas w ith the clear D h arm a-ey e.”

W hen the magician had heard this, he achieved the Realization o f C o m ­

pliance w ith the D harm a T ruth. Also, five thousand sentient beings b ro u g h t forth
supreme bodhicitta,14 and tw o hundred Bodhisattvas reached the Realization o f the
N'onarising o f D harm as.
After the W orld -H o n o red O n e had taken his meal, he again spoke in verse in
order to fulfill the magician’s wish:

“Giving w ith o u t discriminating

A thing given, a giver, or a recipient1"1 ,
Is perfect g iving.”

T hen Ananda said to the Buddha, “ W orld-H onored One, w c hope that the
Tathagata, w ith his miraculous powers, will help the magician to make the m ag­
nificent things he has magically produced rem ain for seven days.”
A t the request of the assembly, the Tathagata caused that teaching site to
remain well adorned for a full seven days.
16 O n M a y a a n d M ira cle s

T hen the Tathagata, surrounded rcspcctfully by the m onks, great Bodhi-

sattvas ，gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, and so forth, returned to M o u n t G rdh­
rakuta to teach the D h arm a to the assembly.
Later, the magician came to the B uddha again. He prostrated him self w ith
his head at the B uddha's feet, circum am bulated him three times to the right,
w ithdrew to one side, and said, “W orld-H onored O ne, please explain the B odhi-
satrva-path so that those w h o study and practice industriously m ay rapidly arrive
at the bodhi-sitc•”
The B uddha said, “Listen attentively and think well about this. I will explain
it to y o u .”
T he magician said, “ Yes, W orld-H onored One, I will listen with j o y . ”
T he B uddha said, “G o od man, there arc four things that constitute the path
o f a Bodhisattva. B y practicing them , a Bodhisattva will rapidly arrive at the
bodhi-site. W hat are the four?
(1) N e v e r to retreat from or lose bodhicitta;
(2) never to forsake sentient beings;
(3) to seek all good roots w ithout becom ing w eary or satiated; and
(4) m o st vigorously to protect and uphold the true D h a r m a . . . .
“Furtherm ore, there are four things w hich only Bodhisattvas can practicc,
and w hich Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot practicc. W hat arc the four?
(1) T o cultivate d h y an a16 w ith o u t hoping to be reborn in the dhyana heavens;17
(2) to be able to rccognizc the profound doctrines;
(3) to have great compassion for sentient beings; and
(4) to teach the D h arm a w ith o u t hindrance by using various kinds o f elo­
quence. . . .
“Furtherm ore, there are four things that can cause a Bodhisattva to becom e a
perm anent friend o f sentient beings. What are the four?
(1) T o w ear the great arm or o f paticncc;
(2) to benefit sentient beings w ithout expecting any reward;
(3) never to regress from great compassion; and
(4) never to forsake even those w h o often annoy and h u rt him.
“M oreover, there arc four things th at can cause a Bodhisattva to m eet B ud­
dhas. W hat arc the four?
(1) T o be m indful o f Buddhas constantly and single-mindedly;
(2) to praise the merits o f the Tathagatas;
(3) to be com pletely flawless in observing the precepts that have been taken;
and
(4) to m ake great vow s w ith suprem e asp ira tio n .. . .
“Furtherm ore, there are four things that are the essential elements to producc
samadhi. W hat are the four?
 B h a d r a ’s A t t a i n m e n t of Buddhahood 17

(1) T o stay aw ay from noisy crowds;

(2) to delight in quietude and pcacc;
(3) to be m entally undistractcd; and
(4) to increase o n e ’s good roots.
“M oreover, there arc four things that a Bodhisattva should cultivate well in
'i e r to have right thought. W hat are the four?
1) T o suffer willingly the pain o f sariisara for innum erable kalpas, even for
the sake o f only one sentient being;
(2) to k n o w the different natures and characters o f the sentient beings before
teaching them the Dharm a to rid them o f afflictions;
(3) to eradicate all evil, cultivate all virtues, subdue the arm y o f demons, and
realize supreme enlightenment; and
(4) to teach, w ith one pure voicc, the esscncc o f the D harm a to the countless
sentient beings in a billion-w orld universe.
“Furtherm ore, there arc four things that can free a Bodhisattva from cow ard­
ice and weakness, and m ake him invulnerable to dem ons. W hat are the four?
(1) T o view all dharm as as illusory, like magic;
(2) always to be in h arm o n y w ith the true, right w isdom ;
(3) to m ake no distinctions am o n g dharm as; and
(4) to be dctached from all f o r m s . . . .
“M oreover, there are four things that can cause a Bodhisattva to have inge­
nuity. W hat are the four?
(1) T o placc before all other vow s the v o w to attain enlightenment, and to
cause ev en defiled persons to advance tow ard suprem e enlightenment, let
alone those w ith virtuous minds;
(2) to view all sentient beings, even those w h o hold w ro n g views, as w o rth y
to rcccive the D harm a;
(3) to understand that no dharm a has a self-nature; and
(4) to cultivate liberation w ith o u t being attached to s a m a d h i.. . .
“Furtherm ore, there are four things that can cause a Bodhisattva to obtain
unim peded cloqucnce. W hat are the four?
(1) T o follow the m eaning o f the doctrinc, n o t the letter;
(2) to conform to the D harm a, n o t to any person;
(3) to realize that all dharm as are beyond words; and
(4) to teach untiringly, using the w ords that convey the ultimate t r u t h . . . .
“Furtherm ore, there are four things that can cause a Bodhisattva n o t to
regress from the paramitas. W hat are the four?
(1) B y ingenuity, to m aster all paramitas by m astering one paramita;
(2) by ingenuity, to k n o w all sentient beings by k n o w in g one sentient being;
18 O n M aya and M ir a c l e s

(3) by ingenuity, to realize the purity o f all dharmas by realizing the purity o f
one dharma; and
(4) b y ingenuity, to understand all Buddhas by understanding one Buddha.
W hy? Because things are n o t different in n atu re•”
W hen the B uddha taught these fourfold doctrines o f a Bodhisattva, Bhadra
the magician gained the Realization o f the N onarising o f D harm as. In ecstasy, he
rose up in m idair to a height of^seven palm trees.
T h en the W o rld -H o n o red O n e smiled graciously, em itting from his face
innum erable lights, w hich illuminated all Buddha-lands and then returned and
entered the top o f his head.
Seeing this, Venerable Ananda th ought to himself, “T here m u st be a reason
for the smile o f the Buddha, the W orthy One, the Supremely Enlightened O n e .”
T hereupon, he rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee,
joined his palms tow ard the Buddha, and asked him in verse:

“O m niscient, H o no red One,

Y ou are renow ned throughout the three realms.
Y o u r awe-inspiring virtue and w isdom
A re inconceivable.
Y ou have already reached
T h e m eritorious shore o f enlightenment.
W hat is the reason for your smile ju st now?
T he sentient beings o f the five planes o f existence
In the ten directions
Differ in their mental activities
A nd in their inclinations,
But the Tathagata fully know s th em all.
W h y did you smile ju st now?
T he many w onderful voices uttered
B y humans and all eight divisions o f divinities
C an no t compare in excellence
W ith the slightest sound
O f the pure voice o f the Tathagata.
T he lights o f the W o rld -H o n o re d O ne
Illuminate all the countless Buddha-lands
T h ro u g h o u t the ten directions.
T h e brilliance o f the sun, the moon,
Bright pearls, and B rahm a
C a n n o t bear com parison
W ith the brilliance o f the Tathagata.
 D h a d r a ' s A t t a in m e n t of Buddhahood 19

You undcnund chc profound doctrinc o f emptiness

So that you Hold no view o f 2 self,
A personal identity• or 2 sentient being.
Y o u abandon the extreme views
O f cxisccncc and noncxistcncc.
You know well that past, present, and future
A rc like the moon mirrored in water.

N o w 、 w ho moves coward the supreme vchicic ，

inherits the Dharma. extends the Buddha's lineage.
And is reborn in the vastncss o f the Three Jewels?
Please explain the reason for you 矿&milc.

Th e lights o f the Tathagaca's smile

M ove differently
According to which vchictc they conccm.
If they vanish into the knee or shoulder.
T h ey conccm S riv ik as or Pratyekabuddhas.
Just now you emitted immeasurable lights.
All o f which entered the top o f the Tathagata's head.
Whose actainment o f enlightenment
Will the Supreme One among gods prophesy?"

The World-Honored One asked Ananda, MI)o you see Bhadra?"

Ananda answered, MY « , I do.”
Th e Buddha told Ananda, “ This good man will bccomc a Buddha, callcd
Tathagata K ing o f Miraculous Feats, chc W orthy One. the Supremely Enlightened
One. He will dwell in the Land o f Great Adornment after ninety-two thousand
kalpas have passed, daring the Kalpa o f Skillful Reforming.
“ The people o f his Buddha-land will be prosperous, peaceful, sccurc, rich,
and happy. T h e land chcrc will be level, and as soft as cotton, with flowering trees
and fruit trees grow ing in orderly rows. Banners and prccious canopics will adorn
(hat land, and musics) instruments o f all kinds will sound spontaneously. Eve ry­
where a wonderful fragrancc wiil permeate the air. Food and drink will appear as
soon 2s the need o f chrxn conics to a person's mind. All the enjoyments and
ncccssitics o f life will be cxactly chc s^mc as those used in che Heaven o f the
Th irty-Three. Bccausc o f the m in y magniiicenc adornments in chat Buddha-land,
it will be o ile d the Land o f Grc^t Adornment. The people there will alt abide in
the Mahayana with deep, firm fsith.
“ T a th ig a u K ing o f Miraculous Fcits will live for ten thousand years, and his
true D hirm a will last in that world for ten billion years. A t the point o f entering
parinirvana*18 he wiil prophesy Bodhisattva Renowned *s attainment o f supreme
cnliRhtcnmcnt* saying: 'Y o u will be the next Buddha Jo f this land] in your future
20 O n M ay a a n d M ira c le s

life, and y o u will be callcd Tathagata Surpassing All, the W o rth y O ne, the Su­
prem ely Enlightened O n e .，”
H aving heard the Tathagata thus prophesy, Bhadra descended from midair,
prostrated him self w ith his head at the B u d d h a’s feet, and said, “N o w I take refuge
in the Tathagata, the W o rth y O n e, the Supremely Enlightened O ne; and also in
the D harm a and the m o n k s." This he repeated earnestly again and again.19 T h e n he
said. "The Buddha, the W orld-H onored One, sees that suchness allows o f no
distinctions, and says that all dharm as are identical w ith suchness— undifferentiated,
perfect, indistinguishable, nonarising, and inactive. I say the same about m y pre­
sent taking o f refuge•”
t T hereupon Venerable Ananda said to Bhadra, “If y our taking refuge is iden­
tical w ith suchness, as the Buddha has taught, then you m ust have obtained som e­
thing fro m the D harm a-nature o f the Buddha. H ave you n o t done so?”
T h e magician answered, “I m yself am th e D harm a-nature o f th e Tathagata.
W hy? T h e Tathagata and I are n o t tw o, n o t different, becausc all dharm as are
suchncss. Suchness means that all dharmas are in nature undifferentiated. So is it
w ith sentient beings. Venerable sir, you should k n o w this: w hen w e speak o f
nonduality, w e m ean that nondiscrim ination is nonduality. W hy? Becausc it is the
w isdom o f the Buddha to k n o w that all dharmas are names o n ly ."
Venerable Ananda approached the B uddha and said, “H o w strange it is,
W orld -H o n o red O ne, that Bhadra has such w isdom and eloqucncc! Previously, he
deluded and confused the w orld w ith his magic, b u t n o w he is doing so w ith his
w isdom . ’’
T he B uddha asked Bhadra, “G o od man, are you really doing that?”
Bhadra said, “I delude and confuse others ju st as the B uddha does. W hy do I
say so? Becausc the Buddha, the W orld-H onored One, says that there are sentient
beings and life, though actually no self exists. This is m ost deluding and confusing
to the w orld. Also, the T athagata speaks o f com ing, going, and sarhsara, th ough
he has k n o w n ever sincc he realized suprem e enlightenm ent that there are no such
dharm as as com ing, going, or sarhsara. In m y opinion, the Tathagata is the only
one w h o greatly deludes and confuses the w o rld .”20
T he B uddha said, “G o od man, well said, well said! Just as you have said, the
Buddhas, Tathagatas, say that there are sentient beings and so forth, in order to
conform to conventions, even though they k n o w that there is actually no self,
sarhsara, going, or com ing. There is no dharm a that can be called nirvana, cither.
H ow ever, in order to [cause others to] realize the D harm a leading to nirvana, they
discourse on nirvana."
H aving heard this, Bhadra approachcd the Buddha and said, “I wish to leave
the household life to becom e a m o n k •”
T hen the W orld -H o n o red O n e told Bodhisattva-M ahasattva Maitrcya, “ You
should shave off this good m a n ’s beard and hair and confer u p o n him the full
ordination. ”
 B h a d r a ’s A t t a i n m e n t of B uddhahood 21

In accordance w ith the B u d d h a’s instructions, Bodhisattva M aitreya allowed

Bhadra to leave the household life and fully ordained him.
After b ecom ing a m o n k , Bhadra said to the Buddha, “ W orld-H onored one,
this renunciation o f the household life is only so in appearance; it is n o t true
renunciation o f the household life. O n ly the Bodhisattvas w h o detach themselves
from all appearances and remain in the three realms to bring sentient beings to
m aturity can be said to have truly renounced the household life.， ，21
W hen this was spoken, five thousand sentient beings b ro u g h t forth suprem e
bodhicitta, and their m inds w ere liberated from all defilements.
T hen Ananda said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, w h at shall w e call
this ^utra? H o w shall w e accept and uphold it?”
T h e B uddha told Ananda, “T his sutra will be callcd ‘T h e Prophecy o f the
Magician B h adra’s A ttainm ent o f B u d d h a h o o d / or ‘T he Doctrine o f the Gradual
Realization o f B o d h i.，22 Sentient beings w h o desire to see the Tathagata and to do
the B u d d h a’s w o rk for others in the future should acccpt, read, and recite this sutra
and explain it extensively to others. W hy? Because to do so is to see the Tathagata
and do the Buddha's w o rk for others. Therefore, Ananda, to uphold, read, recite,
and circulatc this sutra is to pity, benefit, and gladden sentient beings. Those w h o
aspire to advancc tow ard suprem e enlightenm ent should also study and practice
this sutra diligently. This sutra can cause [the seed of] suprem e enlightenm ent
to germinate and to grow. Therefore, it can also be called ‘T he Discourse on
die G erm ination and G row th o f [the Seed of] B o d h i/ It should be k n o w n that
Buddhas abide w ithin those w h o accept and uphold this sutra, let alone w ithin
those w h o study and practice it p roperly.”
Then Bhadra said to the Buddha, “W orld -H o n o red O ne, this sutra is also
railed ‘T h e Revelation o f G ood R o o ts. ，Why? Becausc n o w that I have heard this
'Utra from the Buddha, all good roots are revealed to m e .”23
W hen the B uddha had taught this sutra, the entire assembly o f Venerable
Ananda, Bhadra, gods, humans, asuras, gandharvas, and so forth w ere jubilant
m w h at the B uddha had taught, acccpted it w ith faith, and began to practice it
vith veneration.

NOTES
1. For explanations o f names, Sanskrit words, technical term s, and types o f beings, see
•^Oisary. For n u m b ere d groups, see N u m erical Glossary.
2. A n ything in the universe can be regarded as a m iraculous feat. Here, besides the
;elding o f magical pow ers, the other tw o deeds o f the B uddha— adm onishing people and
22 O n M aya and M ir a c l e s

teaching the D h a rm a — are also said to be miraculous abilities. These three deeds arc called the
three kinds o f m iraculous feats o f the Buddha.
3. A nam e o f Sakyam uni Buddha.
4. T he B uddha's voice is said to have sixty-four attributes. T h e y arc listed in full in
the Inconceivable Esoteric Mahayana Sutra ( 不 思 議 秘 密 大 乘 經 ），and include liquid, soft, agree­
able, pleasant, clear, like a lion’s roar, like a peal o f thunder, etc.
5. Listed in the Glossary as M aham audgalyayana (‘G reat ，M audgalyayana). Kasyapa,
too, is so m etim es called M ahakasyapa, and is so listed in the Glossary.
6. A w ind wheel, in m ythological B uddhist cosm ology, is a vast circle o f air or
“w in d ” u p o n w h ic h each w o rld rests.
7. Parijata is a flow ering tree w hich bloom s in Sakra's garden. Kovidara is another
ki^nd o f fl o w ering tree.
8. Literally, " Always equal to the past.11
9. This sam adhi involves three kinds o f devotion: to contem plate single-m indedly the
auspicious physical form o f the Buddha, to contem plate reality (the D h arm a-body) singlc-
m indcdly, and to invoke the Buddha's nam e single-mindcdly. T h e achievem ent o f this
samadhi leads to a m ental state w herein all the Buddha's bodies are revealed as one reality.
10. D h a rm a truth: the suchness or em ptiness o f all dharmas.
11. T ransform ation b o d y (or, ‘incarnatcd b o d y ，；Skt. Nirmanakaya): one o f the three
bodies o f the Buddha, not a magically produced Buddha. See N um erical Glossary, “three
bodies o f the B uddha."
12. Sec N um erical Glossary, “ five aggregates,” “tw elve entrances,” a n d “eighteen
e lem ents.” See also Glossary, "aggregate.11
13. Som etim es these arc called “the five factors o f the D h a rm a -b o d y ,11 w hich here
does not refer to the D harm ak a y a o f the M ahayana.
14. See Glossary, "bodhicitta."
15. See N um erical Glossary, “three w heels.”
16. W e render 定 as 'dhyana' not Sam adhi', here and elsewhere. For 三昧 and 三摩地
w e use ‘sa m ad h i， . T h e reasons are as follows:
a. A lthough 定 and 三昧 are alm ost interchangeable in M ahayana siitras, they are not
so in every case. N o translator renders 四 色 界 定 （ the four dhyanas o f form) as ‘the four
samadhis o f fo r m ’，or 四無色定 （ the four formless dhyanas) as ‘the four samadhis w ithout
form ， . T herefore, for the sake o f convention and uniform ity, w e distinguish the tw o terms.
A lthough in som e sutras the same “trance” m ay be referred to as 定 and 三'昧in different
places, w e leave the responsibility to such sutras themselves, and w c do n ot assume the
liberty o f changing our rendering at will.
b. If w e com pare the eight Hinayana dhyanas w ith the mystical, dynam ic M ahayana
samadhis, w e find a vast difference betw een the tw o. T o point up this distinction, w e use
dhyana fo r 定 and sam adhi for •
c. F ro m the etym ological view point, there is also a difference. D h y a n a is derived from
the Sanskrit ro o t dhyd, w h ic h means ‘to m u s e ’，‘to contem plate5, or ‘to m editate’. Therefore,
the eight H inayana “trances” should be translated as dhyanas, n ot samadhis. T h e dhyanas
denote specific m editational states, while the samadhis o f M ahayana have various dynam ic
functions.
d. T h e fifth o f the Bodhisattvas' six paramitas (Skt. dhyana-paramita, C h . 禪 定 波 羅 密 多 ），
is translated as ‘the param ita o f m editatio n ’，or sim ply ‘the param ita o f d h y a n a ’. N o trans­
lator so far has translated this as ‘the param ita o f sa m ad h i’. Since 定 is an abbreviation o f
 B h a d r a 4s A t t a i n m e n t of B uddhahood 23

鏵邂 ， it is obvious that wc should follow the established rule in rendering all 定 as 'd h y in j\
no( 'sam adhi1.
c. The fifth piram ita. Jhyiina^paTamita. is (ran$U(cd in Tibetan as bsam^gtan ( * dhyanj)
gyi pha*t0i*iu phyin^pa, not as iik*hr*^zm ( samidhi) gyi pha^rol^u phym^pa. This is
another reason (o (ransbtc «RC o r 定 》 "dhyan^* but not is 4samidht*.
T o avoid later complications and poisible m isundcrsundings. wc translate these tw o
term s on the basis o f this principle.
M r. Mtao is fully aware o f this principle, but disagrees with Us application in Chapter
12. See _A Discourse on Ready Eloquence** below, note 2. (G .C .)
17. According to Buddhist tradition, attachment co chc bliss o f m cdiution can lead 4
m cdttitor to rebtnh m (he dhySna heavens. Birth in the heavens is n d to be sought for
several reasons. O ne cannot gam supreme enlightenm ent if one is i god in heaven. Further*
m orr, the rewards o f good karma and the pow er o f m cdiution will someday be exhausted,
and the god muse then sufTer the agony o f death and possible rebirth in misctabtc sutcs.
Finally, a wish for birth in the dhyam heavens is contrary to chc selfless ideals o f the
M ahavana. (V .S .B .)
18. Literally *4nirvina.w
19. ongm a! reads, Mincalculable hundreds o f thousands o f millions o f tim es 广
20. ploying spetch as skillful means, the Buddha spoke many sutras, which should
only be taken js **chc ftngcr th^t points to the m oo n ,* not the m oon itself. The Buddha %^id,
“ I have not ciughc a single w ord during (he fony-ninc years o f m y Dharma prciching.** The
sutras often admonish us to rd y on meaning rather th in on mere w ords. (See Numerical
G k n sary , Mfo u r rc lu n c c s .*) Readers should bear in m ind chac it b n ot the w ords them selves
buc the atuchm ciu u> w ords thai b dangerous. The crucial function o f the su trjs as a finger
pointing co the m oon should be upheld. (W .H .)
21. In the M ahiyina, a h y n u n may be said to have MrcaUy left the household lifcMif
he does w hat is u u g h i in this passage. Vimalakirti. the Uyman w ith great wisdom and
tngcnuuy* is an illustrious example.
2 2. Bhadrd th e magician first s tu in c d the Sam adhi o f the Rccollcction o f (h e B uddha ，
(hen the Realization o f Compliance w ith the Dharma T ruth, in d finally the Kcalization o f the
N onam ing o f D h irm is. w hcm ipon he received the Buddha’s prophccy o f his attainm ent o f
Buddhahood. (W .H .)
Thi> p issag c suggests ih< gradual reilizitio n approach. It is m y opinion that (h e reader
should not regard the so-calkd Minstantaneous*" realization as superior to Ok gradual. Wc
should bear in mind t h a m any Zen Buddhists strive for tnscanuncous realization ill their
lives and get nowhere. Thus, the gradual approadi is perhaps m ore solid, steady* and
practical. With regard to the vifw of prajna, insununcous realization {f l f i ) may be more
thorough in d "superior** co the gradual approach; but from che pragmatic viewpoint, th«
gradual approach seems to be preferable. Furtherm ore, the three realizations B h^drj attained
arc o f a very advanced sugc. In particular, the Rcaliz4tion o f the Nonarising o f Dharmas is
supposed to be attained only by Bo<lht»attv^s o f the eighth iu g e. (G .C .)
23. In an earlier part o f the su tn (p. 4) wc find: mThc time had come for ihc good roois
o f che magician. . . . to mature.”
On Emptiness
 2 善德天子會

The Dem onstration of the Inconceivable

State of Buddhahood

T hus have I heard. O n ce the B uddha w as dwelling in the garden o f A nathapin-

• >_ . "
dada, in the Jeta Grove near ..Sravasti,'^accompanied by one thousand m o n k s’ ten
thousand Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas, and m an y gods o f the Realm o f Desire and the
Realm o f Form .
A t th at tim e, Bodhisattva-M ahasattva M anjusri and the god Suguna w ere
b oth present am o n g the assembly. T he W o rld-H onored O n e told Manjusri, “Y ou
should explain the profound state o f B uddhahood for the celestial beings and the
Bodhisattvas o f this assem bly.”
M anjusri said to the Buddha, “ So be it, W orld-H onored O ne. If goo d m en
and good w o m en w ish to k n o w the state o f Buddhahood, they should k n o w that
it is not a state o f the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, or the m ind; nor
is it a state o f forms, sounds, scents, tastes, textures, or m ental objects. W orld-
H o no red O ne, the nonstate is the state o f Buddhahood. This being the case, w hat
is the state o f suprem e enlightenm ent as attained by the B uddha?”
T h e B uddha said, “ It is the state o f em ptiness, because all view s are equal. It
is the state o f signlessness, because all signs are equal. It is the state o f wishlessness,
because the three realms are equal. It is the state o f nonaction, because all actions
are equal. It is the state o f the unconditioned, because all conditioned things are
equal. ”
M anjusri asked, “ W orld-H onored One, what is the state of the uncondi­
tioned?”
T h e B uddha said, “T h e absence o f th o u g h t is the state o f the uncondi­
tioned. ’’
Sutra 35, Taisho 310, pp. 566-571; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.
28 O n E m p tin ess

Manjusri said, "W orld-H onored One, if the states o f the unconditioned and
so forth are the state o f Buddhahood, and the state o f the unconditioned is the
absence o f thought, then on w h at basis is the state o f Buddhahood expressed? If
there is no such basis, th en there is nothing to be said; and since there is nothing to
be said, no th in g can be expressed. Therefore, W orld-H onored O ne, the state o f
B uddhahood is inexpressible in w o rd s.”
T he B uddha asked, "Manjusri, w here should the state o f B uddhahood be
sought?”
M anjusri answered, “It should be sou g h t right in the defilements o f sentient
beings. Why? Because by nature the defilements o f sentient beings are inapprehen­
sible. [Realization of] this is beyond the com prehension o f Sravakas and Pratye­
kabuddhas; therefore, it is called the state o f B u d d h ah o o d .”
T he B uddha asked Maiijusrl, “Does the state o f B uddhahood increase or
decrease?”
“It neither increases nor d ecreases.
T he B uddha asked, "H o w can one com prehend the basic nature o f the
defilements o f all sentient beings?”
“Just as the state o f B u d d h ah oo d neither increases n o r decreases, so by their
nature the defilements neither increase n o r d ec re ase.
The B uddha asked, “W hat is the basic nature o f the defilements?”
“T h e basic nature o f the defilements is the basic nature o f the state o f B u d­
dhahood. W orld -H o n o red O ne, if the nature o f the defilements w ere different
fro m the nature o f the state o f B uddhahood, then it could n o t be said that the
B uddha abides in the equality o f all things. It is because the nature o f the defile­
m ents is the very nature o f the state o f B uddhahood that the Tathagata is said to
abide in e q u a lity .
T he B uddha asked further, “In w h at equality do you think the Tathagata
abides?”
“As I understand it, the Tathagata abides in exactly the same equality in
w hich those sentient beings w h o act w ith desire, hatred, and ignorance abide•”
T he B uddha asked, “In what equality do those sentient beings w h o act w ith
the three poisons abide?”
“T h ey abide in the equality o f emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness•”
T h e B uddha asked, "Manjusri, in emptiness, h o w could there b e desire,
hatred, and ignorance?”
M anjusri answered, “ Right in that w hich exists there is emptiness, wherein
desire, hatred, and ignorance are also fo u n d .”
T he B uddha asked, “ In w h at existence is there emptiness?”
"Em ptiness is said to exist [only] in w ords and language. Because there is
emptiness, there are desire, hatred, and ignorance. T h e B u d d h a has said, ‘Monks!
N onarising, nonconditioning, nonaction, and nonorigination all exist. If these did
not exist, th en one could not speak o f arising, conditioning, action, and origina­
tion. Therefore, m onks, because there are nonarising, nonconditioning, nonaction,
and nonorigination, one can speak o f the existence o f arising, conditioning, action,
 T h e In c o n c e i v a b l e S t a t e of B uddhahood 29

and origination. ，Similarly, W orld-H onored O ne, if there w ere no emptiness,

signlessness, o r wishlessness, one could n o t speak o f desire, hatred, ignorance, or
o th er ideas.”
The B uddha said, "M anjusri, if this is the case, then it m u st be, as you said,
th at one w h o abides in the defilements abides in em ptiness.”
M anjusri said, "W orld-H onored O ne, if a meditator seeks emptiness apart
from the defilements, his search will be in vain. H o w could there be an emptiness
that differs from the defilements? If he contemplates the defilements as emptiness,
he is said to be engaged in right practice.”
The B uddha asked, "Manjusri, do you detach yourself from the defilements
o r abide in them ?”
M anjusri said, “All defilements are equal [in reality]. I have realized that
equality th ro ug h right practicc. Therefore, I neither detach m yself from the defile­
ments nor abide in them. If a sramana or brahmin claims that he has overcom e
passions and sees other beings as defiled, he has fallen into the tw o extrem e views.
W hat arc the two? O n e is the view o f cternalism, m aintaining that defilements
exist; the other is the view o f nihilism, maintaining that defilements do not exist.
W o rld -H o n o red O ne, he w h o practiccs rightly sees no such things as self or other,
existence o r nonexistence. W hy? Becausc he clearly comprehends all d h arm as.”
T h e B uddha asked, "M anjusri, w h at should one rely upon for right prac­
tice?”
“He w h o practices rightly relies upon n o th in g .”
T h e B uddha asked, “Docs he not practice according to the path?”
" If he practices in accordancc w ith anything, his practice will be conditioned.
A conditioned practice is not one o f equality. Why? Bccause it is n o t exem pt from
arising, abiding, and perishing.”
T h e B uddha asked Manjusri, “ Are there any categories in the uncondi­
tioned?”
Maiijusri answered, “W orld-H onored O ne, if there w ere categories in the
unconditioned, th en the unconditioned w ould be conditioned and w ould no longer
be the unconditioned.”
The B uddha said, "If the unconditioned can be realized by saints, then there
is such a thing as the unconditioned; h o w can you say there are no categories in
it?”
“Things have no categories, and the saints have transccndcd categories. T h at
is w h y I say there are no categories.”
T he B uddha asked, "Manjusri, w ould you not say you have attained saint­
hood?”
M anjusri asked in turn, "W orld-H onored O ne, suppose one asks a magically
produced person, ‘W ould you not say you have attained sainthood?’ W hat will be
his reply?”
T he B uddha answ ered Manjusri, "O n e cannot speak o f the attainm ent or
nonattainm ent o f a magically produced person.”
M anjusri asked, “Has the B uddha n o t said that all things are like illusions?”
30 O n E m ptin ess

T he Buddha answered, “So I have, so I h av e.”

“If all things arc like illusions, w h y d o you ask m e w hether o r n o t I have
attained sainthood?”
T h e B uddha asked, "Manjusri, w h at equality in the three vehicles h ave you
realized*"
''I have realized the equality o f the state o f Buddhahood. ”
T he B uddha asked, “H ave you attained the state o f B uddhahood?”
"If the W orld -H o n o red O n e has attained it, then I have also attained it.”
T hereupon, Venerable Subhuti asked Manjusri, “Has n o t the Tathagata at­
tained the state o f B u ddhahood?”
M anjusri asked in turn, “ Have you attained anything in the state o f Sravaka-
hood?”
Subhuti answ ered, “T h e liberation o f a saint is neither an attainm ent n o r a
nonattain m en t.”
“So it is, so it is. Likewise, the liberation o f the Tathagata is neither a state
nor a nonstate.”
Subhuti said, "M anjusri, you are not taking carc o f the novice Bodhisattvas
in teaching the D h arm a this w a y .”
M anjusri asked, "Subhuti, w h at do you think? Suppose a physician, in tak­
ing care o f his patients, does not give them acrid, sour, bitter, or astringent
medicines. Is he helping them to rccover or causing them to die?”
Subhuti answered, “ He is causing th e m to suffer and die instead o f giving
them peace and happiness.”
M anjusri said, “ Such is the ease w ith a teachcr o f the D harm a. If, in taking
care o f others, he fears that they m ight be frightened, and so hides from th em the
profound meanings o f the D harm a and instead speaks to them in irrelevant w ords
and fancy phrases, then he is causing sentient beings to suffer [birth,] old age,
disease, and death, instead o f giving them health, peacc, bliss, and nirvana.
When this D h arm a was explained, five hundred monks were freed o f at­
tachm ent to any dharm a, were cleansed o f defilements, and were liberated in mind;
eight tho u san d dcvas left the taints o f the m u n d an e w o rld far behind and attained
the pure D harm a-eye that sees through all dharmas; seven hundred gods resolved
to attain suprem e enlightenm ent and vowed: “In the future, w c shall attain an
eloquence like that o f Manjusri.
T hen Elder Subhuti asked Manjusri, “D o you not explain the D harm a o f the
Sravaka-vehicle to the Sravakas?*'
“I follow the D harm as o f all the vehicles.”
Subhuti asked, “A re you a Sravaka, a Pratyekabuddha, o r a W o rth y O ne, a
Suprem ely Enlightened O n e?”
"I am a Sravaka, b u t m y understanding does n o t com e through the specch o f
others. I am a Pratyekabuddha, b u t I do n o t abandon great compassion or fear
anything. I am a W o rth y O ne, a Suprem ely Enlightened O ne, but I still do not
give up m y original v o w s .”
Subhuti asked, “W h y are you a Sravaka?*'
 T h e In c o n c e i v a b l e S t a t e of B uddhahood 31

“ Because I cause sentient beings to hear the D harm a th ey have n o t heard .”

“W h y are you a Pratyekabuddha?”
“Because I thoroughly com prehend the dependent origination o f all dhar-
mas. ，，i
“W h y are you a W o rth y O ne, a Supremely Enlightened O n e?”
“Because I realize that all things arc equal in the d h a r m a d h a t u . -
Subhuti asked, 4tM anjusn, in w h at stage do you really abide?”
“I abide in every stage.”
Subhuti asked, “C o u ld it be that you also abide in the stage o f ordinary
people?”
M anjusri said, “I definitely abide in the stage o f ordinary people.”
Subhuti asked, “W ith w h at esotcric implication do y o u say so?”
“ I say so because all dharm as arc equal by nature .， ，
Subhuti asked, “If all dharm as are equal, w here are such dharmas as the
stages o f Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas established?”
M anjusri answered, “As an illustration, consider the em pty space in the ten
directions. People speak o f the eastern spacc, the southern space, the w estern
space, the northern spacc, the four intermediate spaccs, the spacc above, the space
below , and so forth. Such distinctions arc spoken of, although the em p ty space
itself is devoid o f distinctions. In like m anner, virtuous one, the various stages are
established in the ultimate emptiness o f all things, although the emptiness itself is
devoid o f distinctions.”
Subhuti asked, “H ave you entered the realization o f sainthood and been
forever separated from sarhsara?”
“ I have entered it and em erged from it.”
Subhuti asked, “W h y did you em erge from it after you entered it?”
M anjusri answ ered, “V irtuous one, you should k n o w that this is a manifes­
tation o f the w isd o m and ingenuity o f a Bodhisattva. H e truly enters the realiza­
tion o f sainthood and becomes separated from sarhsara; then, as a m ethod to save
sentient beings, he emerges from that realization. Subhuti, suppose an expert
archer plans to harm a bitter enemy, but, mistaking his beloved son in the w ilder­
ness for the enem y, he shoots an arrow at him. T he son shouts, ‘I have done
nothing w rong. W h y do you wish to harm me?，A t once, the archer, w h o is
swift-footed, dashes tow ard his son and catches the arrow before it does any harm .
A Bodhisattva is like this: in o rd er to train and subdue Sravakas and Pratyekabud­
dhas, he attains nirvana; however, he emerges from it and docs not fall into
the stages o f Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas. T hat is w h y his stage is called the
B uddha-stage.”
Subhuti asked, “H o w can a Bodhisattva attain this stage?”
M anjusri answ ered, “If Bodhisattvas dwell in all stages and yet dwell n o ­
w here, th ey can attain this stage.
“If they can discourse on all the stages b u t do n o t abide in the low er stages,
they can attain this Buddha-stage.
“If they practice w ith the purpose o f ending the afflictions o f all sentient
32 O n E m ptin ess

beings, but [realize] there is no ending in the dharm adhatu; if they abide in the
unconditioned, yet perform conditioned actions; if they remain in sarhsara, b u t re­
gard it as a garden and do not seek nirvana before all their vows are fulfilled— then
they can attain this stage.
"If they realize cgolessness, yet bring sentient beings to m aturity, they can
attain this stage.2
"If they achieve the B uddha-w isdom yet do not generate anger or hatred
tow ard those w h o lack wisdom, they can attain this stage.
“If they practice by turning the D harm a-w heel for those w ho seek the
D harm a but m ake no distinctions am ong things, they can attain this stage.
“Furtherm ore, if Bodhisattvas vanquish dem ons yet assume the appearance
o f the four dem ons, they can attain this stage.”
Subhuti said, "Manjusri, such practices o f a Bodhisattva arc very difficult for
any w orldly being to believe.”
M anjusri said, “So it is, so it is, as you say. Bodhisattvas perform deeds in
the m u n d an e w o rld but transcend w o rld ly dharm as.”
Subhuti said, "M anjusri, please tell me how they transcend the m undane
w orld."
Mafijusri said, “T h e five aggregates constitute w hat w c call the m undane
world. O f these, the aggregate o f form has the nature o f accumulated foam, the
aggregate o f feeling has the nature o f a bubble, the aggregate o f conccption has the
nature o f a mirage, the aggregate o f impulse has the nature o f a hollow plantain,
and the aggregate o f consciousness has the nature o f an illusion. Thus, one should
k n o w that the essential nature o f the m undane w orld is none other than that of
foam, bubbles, mirages, plantains, and illusions; in it there arc neither aggregates
n or the names o f aggregates, neither sentient beings n o r the names o f sentient
beings, neither the m undane w orld n o r the supram undane world. Such a right
understanding o f the five aggregates is called the suprem e understanding. If one
attains this supreme understanding, then he is liberated, as he [actually) always has
been.3 If he is so liberated, he is n o t attached to m undane things. If he is not
attached to m undane things, he transcends the m undane w orld.
“Furtherm ore, Subhuti, the basic nature o f the five aggregates is emptiness.
If that nature is emptiness, there is neither ‘I，n o r ‘m in e•’ If there is neither T nor
‘m in e,’ there is no duality. If there is no duality, there is neither grasping nor
abandoning. If there is neither grasping n o r abandoning, there is no attachment.
Thus, free o f attachment, one transcends the m undane world.
“Furtherm ore, Subhuti, the five aggregates belong to causes and conditions.
If they belong to causes and conditions, they do n o t belong to oneself or to others.
If they do n o t belong to oneself or to others, they have no ow ner. If they have no
ow ner, there is no one w h o grasps them. If there is no grasping, there is no
contention, and noncontcntion is the practice o f religious devotees. Just as a hand
m oving in em p ty space touches no object and meets no obstacle, so the B odhi­
sattvas w ho practice the equality o f emptiness transcend the m u ndane world.
 T he In c o n ce iv a b le S ta te o f B u d d h a h o o d 33

“M oreover, Subhuti, bccausc all the elements of the five aggregates m erge in
the dharm adhatu, there are no realms. If there arc no realms, there arc no elements
o f earth, water, fire, or air; there is no ego, sentient being, or life; no Realm o f
Desire, Realm o f Form , or Realm o f Formlessness; no realm o f the conditioned or
realm o f the unconditioned; no realm o f sariisara or realm o f nirvana. W hen B odhi­
sattvas enter such a dom ain [free o f distinctions], they do not abide in anything,
th ough they remain in the m idst o f w orldly beings. It they do not abide in
anything, th ey transcend the m u n d an e w o rld •”
W hen this D h arm a o f transcending the w orld was explained, tw o hundred
m onks becam c detachcd from all dharmas, ended all their defilements, and became
liberated in mind. O n e by one they took off their upper garments to offer to
M anjusri, saying, “A ny person w h o does not have faith in or understand this
doctrine will achieve nothing and realize no th in g•”
T hen Subhuti asked these m onks, "Elders, have you ever achieved or real­
ized anything?”
T he m onks replied, "O n ly presum ptuous persons will claim they have
achieved and realized something. T o a hum ble religious devotee, n o thing is achieved
or realized. H ow , then, would such a person think o f saying to himself, ‘This I
have achieved; this I have realized ’？If such an idea occurs to him, then it is a
d e m o n ’s d eed •”
Subhuti asked, "Elders, according to your understanding, w h at achievement
and realization causc you to say so?”
T h e m o n k s replied, "O n ly the Buddha, the W orld-H onored O ne, and Maii-
jusri k n o w o u r achievem ent and realization. M ost virtuous one, our understanding
is: those w h o do n o t fully k n o w the nature o f suffering yet claim that suffering
should be com prehended are presum ptuous. Likewise, if they claim that the cause
o f suffering should be eradicated, that the cessation o f suffering should be realized,
and that the path leading to the cessation o f suffering should be followed, they are
presum ptuous. Presum ptuous also are those w h o do not really k n o w the nature o f
suffering, its cause, its cessation, or th e path leading to its cessation, b u t claim that
they k n o w suffering, have eradicated the cause o f suffering, have realized the
cessation o f suffering, and have followed the path leading to the cessation o f
suffering.
“W hat is the nature o f suffering? It is the very nature o f nonarising. T h e
same is true concerning the characteristic o f the cause o f suffering, the cessation o f
suffering, and th e path leading to the cessation o f suffering. T h e nature o f nonaris­
ing is signless and unattainable. In it, there is no suffering to be k n ow n, no cause
o f suffering to be eradicated, no cessation o f suffering to be realized, and no path
leading to the cessation o f suffering to be followed. Those w ho are n o t frightened, ‘
terrified, or awcstricken upon hearing these N oble Truths are not presum ptuous.
Those w h o are frightened and terrified are the presum ptuous ones.”
T hereupon, the W orld-H onored O ne praised the m onks, saying, “Well said,
well said!” H e told Subhuti, “These m onks heard M anjusri explain this profound
34 O n E m ptin ess

D harm a during the era o f Kasyapa Buddha. Because th ey have practiced this
profound D harm a before, they are n o w able to follow it and understand it im ­
mediately. Similarly, all those w h o hear, believe, and understand this profound
teaching m m y era will be am ong the assembly o f M aitreya B uddha in the f u tu r e ,’
T hen the god Suguna said to Manjusri, "V irtuous one, you have repeatedly
taught the D harm a in this world. N o w w e beg you to go to the Tusita Heaven.
For a long time, the gods there have also been planting m an y good roots. T hey
will be able to understand the D harm a if they hear it. H ow ever, because they are
attached to the pleasures [of their heaven], they cannot [leave their heaven and]
com e to the B uddha to hear the D harm a, and consequently th ey suffer a great
loss. ”
M anjusri im m ediately perform ed a miraculous feat that caused the god Su­
guna and all others in the assembly to believe that they had arrived at the palace o f
the Tusita Heaven. T here they saw gardens, w oods, magnificent palaces and m an ­
sions w ith sum ptuous tiers o f railings and w indow s, high and spacious tw en ty -
storied tow ers w ith jewelled nets and curtains, celestial flowers covering the ground,
various w onderful birds hovering in flocks and warbling, and celestial maidens in
the air scattering flowers o f the coral tree, singing verses in chorus, and playing
merrily.
Seeing all this, the god Suguna said to Manjusri, “This is extraordinary,
Manjusri! H o w have w e arrived so quickly at the palacc o f the Tusita H eaven to
see the gardens and the gods here? Manjusri, will you please teach us the D h arm a?”
Elder Subhuti told Suguna, “ Son o f heaven, you did n o t leave the assembly
or go anywhere. It is ManjusrT's m iraculous feat that causes you to see yo u rself in
the palace o f the Tusita H eav en .”
T he god Suguna said to the Buddha, “H o w rare, W orld -H o n ored One!
M anjusri has such a co m m an d o f samadhi and o f m iraculous po w er that in an
instant he has caused this entire assembly to appear to be in the palace o f the Tusita
H eav en .”
T h e B uddha said, “ Son o f heaven, is this y our understanding o f M anjusri's
miraculous power? As I understand it, if M anjusri wishes, he can gather all the
merits and m agnificent attributes o f Buddha-lands as num erous as the sands o f the
Ganges and cause them to appear in one Buddha-land. He can w ith one fingertip
lift up the Buddha-lands below ours, w hich arc as num erous as the sands o f the
Ganges, and put th em in the em pty space on top o f the Buddha-lands above ours,
w hich are also as num ero u s as the sands o f the Ganges. H e can put all the w ater o f
the four great oceans o f all the Buddha-lands into a single pore w ith o u t m aking the
aquatic beings in it feel crow ded or rem oving them from the seas. H e can p u t all
the M o u n t Sumerus o f all the w orlds into a m ustard seed, yet the gods on these
mountains will feel that they are still living in their o w n palaces. H e can place all
sentient beings o f the five planes o f existence o f all the Buddha-lands on his palm,
and cause them to see all kinds o f exquisite material objects such as those available
 T he I n c o n c e i v a b l e S t a t e of B uddhahood 35

in delightful, magnificent countries. H e can gather all the fires o f all the w orlds
into a picce o f cotton. H e can use a spot as small as a pore to eclipse completely
every sun and m oon in every Buddha-land. In short, he can accomplish w hatever
he wishes to d o .”4
A t that time, Paplyan, the Evil O ne, transform ed him self into a m o n k and
said to the Buddha, “W orld -H o n o red O ne, we wish to see M anjusri perform such
miraculous feats right now . W hat is the use o f saying such absurd things, w hich
nobo d y in the w orld can believe?”
T h e W orld -H o n o red O n e told Manjusri, “You should manifest your m irac­
ulous p o w e r right before this assem bly.” T hereupon, w itho u t rising from his seat,
M anjusri entered the Samadhi o f Perfect M ental Freedom in Glorifying All D h ar­
mas, and dem onstrated all the miraculous feats described by the Buddha.
Seeing this, the Evil O ne, the m em bers o f the assembly, and the god Suguna
all applauded these unprecedented deeds, saying, “Wonderful, wonderful! Because
o f the appearance o f the B uddha in this w orld, w e n o w have this Bodhisattva w ho
can perform such m iraculous feats and open a d oor to the D harm a for the w o rld .”
T hereupon, the Evil O ne, inspired by M anjusrfs aw esom e power, said,
“W orld -H o n o red O ne, h o w w onderful it is that M anjusri possesses such great,
miraculous power! A nd the m em bers o f this assembly, w h o n o w understand and
have faith in the D h arm a through his dem onstration o f miraculous feats, are also
marvelous. W o rld -H o n o red One, even if there w ere as m any dem ons as the sands
o f the Ganges, they w ould not be able to hinder these good m en and good
w o m en , w h o understand and believe in the Dharma.
“I，Papiyan the Evil One, have always sought opportunities to oppose the
B uddha and to create turm oil am ong sentient beings. N o w I v o w that, from this
day on, I will never go nearer than one hundred leagues aw ay from the place
w here this doctrine prevails, or w here people have faith in, understand, cherish,
receive, read, recite, and teach it.
“H o w ever, W orld-H onored O ne, som e o f m y kindred are determ ined to
distract the devotees’ minds so as to destroy the D harm a o f the Tathagata. I will
chant the following dharanl so that devotees can vanquish these demons. If good
m en or good w o m e n read, write, and recite this incantation, or teach it to others,
the celestial dem ons will benefit and will, in return, causc the teachers o f this
D h arm a to feel joyful in bod y and mind, to practicc vigorously, to possess un ­
im peded eloquence and dharanis, and n o t to lack services, food and drink, clothing,
bedding, or m edicine.”
Then he uttered the incantation:

“t a d y a t h A a m a l a v i m a l e s t h i t a t v e a k a l a v a n i r -
JIT A S A T R U JA Y E JA Y A V A T I B H U T A M A T IS A M E S V A N A T I
A P H U M E B U S U M E A D H IR E A G E M A K H E K H A K H E Y ISIL E
A G A M E P H U L E L A P H U L A P H U L E P H A S U M E S U S U M A D H ID -
36 O n E m ptin ess

H IR E A N A V A N A T E S T H IT A T E K R IT A R A T E K R IT A B H ID H Y E
p ir o c a t An a s a d d h a r m a b h a n a k o s y a s u t r a t r a s y -
A D H A R IK A A B H R A B U G A T A IV A S O O R Y A S V A h A .”5

Then. Paplyan said, u W orld-H onored O ne, if good men or good w o m en

accept this dharani w holeheartedly and chant it w ith concentration, they will be
protected by gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras and
mahoragas, and no evil dem ons will be able to take advantage o f th e m .”
When Paplyan the Evil One spoke this incantation, quakes o f six kinds
occurred in the billion-w orld universe.
The W orld -H o n o red O n e then told Paplyan the Evil One, “Wonderful,
wonderful! Y ou should k no w that y our eloquence is a manifestation o f Manjusrl's
miraculous p o w e r.”
When M anjusri was revealing his miraculous po w er and Paplyan the dem on
was chanting the dhararn, thirty-tw o thousand gods resolved to attain supreme
e n lig h te n m e n t.. . .
When the B uddha finished teaching this sutra, the god Suguna, Elder A nan­
da, and all the humans, gods, dragons, gandharvas, asuras, and so forth, were
jubilant upon hearing w h at the B uddha had taught.

NOTES
1. O u r text reads, "Because I cause sentient beings to believe in and aw aken to the
d h a rm a d h a tu .11 H o w ev e r, this is irrelevant to the above question. W e have adopted another
version here (Taisho 340 ，p. 109), also translated b y a Bodhiruci (w ho m ay have lived m ore
than 100 years before this Bodhiruci, or perhaps is the same person).
2. T his rendering is based on Taisho 340 ，p. 110.
3. This refers to the doctrine o f original or inherent B uddha-nature w hich states that
w e are all in an enlightened state— sarhsara is nirvana— but that our enlightenm ent is obscured
b y veils o f passions and ignorancc, so w e are not aw are o f it.
W hen one first becom es enlightened, he is usually astonished at the fact that he has not
realized anything new . H e has been in the enlightened state all the time. T hat is w h y certain
M ahayana sutras and Z en texts say that at the tim e o f Buddha's enlightenm ent, he exclaimed,
“H o w strange this is! All sentient beings are already enlightened, yet are not aware o f it.11
4. These incredible feats are the consequences o f M a n jusrrs realization o f the n o n o b ­
structing aspect o f em ptiness (sunyata). O n e w h o has reached this stage is free o f the bondage
o f tim e and space; therefore, he is able to perform m iraculous feats.
5. This mantra is transliterated from the Tibetan text, Peking edition, w hich the editor
finds is d e a re r for transliteration than the Chinese. T h e Chinese rendering o f the Sanskrit
mantra is n ot based u pon a transliteration system or alphabet, but u pon the pronunciation o f
C hinese characters. It is extrem ely difficult, if not w ell-nigh impossible, to accurately recon­
struct the Sanskrit from the Chinese. (G.C.)
 3 恆河上優婆夷會

Flawless Purity: A Dialogue with the

Lay wom an Gangottara

Thus have I heard. O n ce the Buddha was dwelling in the garden o f A nathapin-
dada, in the Jeta G rove near SravastT. "At that time, a layw om an named G angottara
came fro m her dwelling in SravastI to see the Buddha. She prostrated herself w ith
her head at the Buddha's feet, w ith d re w to one side, and sat dow n.
T h e W orld -H o n o red O n e asked Gangottara, “W here do you com e from?"
T h e layw om an asked th e Buddha, “W orld-H onored O n e, if som eone w ere
to ask a magically produced being w here he came from, h o w should the question
be answ ered?”
T h e W o rld-H onored O n e told her, “A magically produced being neither
comes n o r goes, neither is born n o r perishes; h o w can one speak o f a placc from
w hich he com es?”
T hen the layw o m an asked, “Is it n o t true that all things are illusory, like
m agic?”
T h e B uddha said, “Yes, indeed. W h at you say is true."
G angottara asked, "If all things are illusory, like magic, w h y did you ask me
w h ere I came from ?”
T h e W orld-H onored O n e to ld her, “A magically produced being does not
go to the miserable planes o f existence, n o r to heaven; nor does he attain nirvana.
G angottara, is that also true o f you?”
T h e layw om an replied, “As I see it, if m y o w n b o d y were different from a
magically produced one, then I could speak o f going to the good or miserable
planes o f existence, or o f attaining nirvana. I see no difference, though, betw een

Sutra 31，Taisho 310 pp. 549-550; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.

38 O n E m p tiness

m y bodv and a magically produced one, so h o w can I speak o f going to the good
or miserable planes, or o f attaining nirvana?
"Furtherm ore, W o rld-H onored O ne, nirvana's very nature is such that it is
not reborn in the good or miserable planes, n o r docs it expcricnce parinirvana. I
perceive that the same is true o f m y ow n nature.
The Buddha asked, “D o you not seek the state o f nirvapa?”
G angottara asked in turn, "If this question w ere put to one w h o had never
come into being, h o w should it be answered?”
T he B uddha replied, “T h at w hich has never com e into being is nirvana
itself. ”
G angottara asked, "A re not all things identical with nirv5pa?， ’
T he B uddha replied, “So they arc, so they are.”
“W o rld -H o n o red One, if all things are identical w ith nirvana, w h y did you
ask me, ‘D o you not seek the state o f nirvana?'
“Furtherm ore, W orld -H o n o red O n e, if a magically produced being asked
another magically produced being, ‘D o you n o t seek the state o f nirvana?，w hat
w ould the answ er be?”
T h e W o rld-H onored O n e told her, “A m agically produced being has no
m ental attachm ents [and thus seeks n oth in g ].”
G angottara inquired, “D oes the Tathagata's very question stem from som e
m ental attachm ent?”
T h e W o rld -H o n o red O n e told her, “I raised the question because there are in
this assem bly good m en and good w o m e n w h o can be b ro u g h t to m aturity. I am
free o f mental attachments. W hy? Bccause the Tathagata know s that even the
namds o f things are inapprehensible, let alone the things themselves or those w ho
seek nirvana.
Gangottara said, "If so, w h y all the accumulation o f good roots for the
attainm ent o f enlightenm ent?”
[The Buddha replied,] “N either Bodhisattvas n o r their good roots can be
apprehended, because in the Bodhisattvas’ minds there is no discriminative thought
as to w hether they are accumulating good roots or n o t.”
G angottara asked, “W hat do you mean by ‘no discriminative th o u g h t， ？”
T h e W orld -H o n o red O n e answered, “T h e absence o f discriminative th o u g h t
cannot be understood or grasped by means o f thinking. W hy? Because in the state
[of no discriminative thought], even the m ind is inapprehensible, let alone the
mental functions. This state, in w hich the m ind is inapprehensible, is called incon­
ceivable. It cannot be grasped or realized; it is neither pure n o r impure. W h y so?
Because, as th e Tathagata alw ays teaches, all things are as e m p ty and unim peded as
space.， ’
G angottara inquired, "If all things are like em p ty space, w h y does the W orld-
H onored O n e speak o f form , feeling, conception, impulse, and consciousness; the
[eighteen] elements; the [twelve] entrances; the twelve links o f dependent origina­
tion; the defiled and the undefiled; the pure and the impure; sarhsara and nirvana?”
 Flawless P u r ity 39

T he B uddha told Garigottara, “W hen I speak o f a ‘self,’ for example, al­

th ough I express the concept by a w ord, actually the nature o f a ‘self’ is inap­
prehensible. I speak o f form, but in reality the nature1 o f form is also inappre­
hensible, and so it is w ith the other [dharmas], up to nirvana. Just as w e cannot
find w ater in mirages, so w e cannot find a nature in torm , and so it is w ith the
others, up to nirvana.
"Garigottara, only a person w h o cultivates pure conduct in accordance w ith
the D harm a, pcrceiving that no th in g can be apprehended, deserves to be callcd a
real cultivator o f pure conduct. Sincc the arrogant say that they have apprehended
something, they cannot be said to be firm ly established in genuine pure conduct.
Such arrogant people will be terrified and doubtful w hen they hear this profound
Dharm a. T h ey will be unable to liberate them selves from birth, old age, sickness,
death, w orry, sorrow , suffering, and distress.
"Garigottara, after m y parinirvana, there will be som e people able to spread
this profound D harm a, w hich can stop the rounds o f sarnsara. H o w ever, some
fools, becausc o f their evil views, will hate those D harm a-m astcrs, and will con­
trive to harm them. Such fools will fall to the hells for th at."
Garigottara asked, “Y ou speak o f 4this profound D h arm a which can stop the
rounds o f sam sara/ W hat do you m ean by ‘stop the rounds o f sam sara1?"
T he W o rld -H o n o red O n e replied, “T o stop the rounds o f samsara is [to
penetrate] reality, the realm o f the inconccivable. Such a D h arm a can n o t be d am ­
aged or destroyed. Hence, it is called the D harm a that can stop the rounds o f
sariisara."
Then the W orld-H onored One smiled graciously and em itted from his fore­
head blue, yellow, red, white, and crystalline lights. T he lights illuminated all
the num erous lands, reaching as high as the B rahm a Heaven, then returned and
entered the top o f the B u d d h a’s head.
Seeing this, the Venerable Ananda th o u g h t to himself, “T h e Tathagata, the
W orthy O ne, the Suprem ely Enlightened One, docs n o t smile w ith o u t a reason.”
H e rose fro m his scat, uncovered his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and
joined his palms tow ard the Buddha, inquiring, “W h y did the B uddha smile?”
T he B uddha replied, “I recall that, in the past, a thousand Tathagatas also
taught this D h arm a here, and cach o f those assemblies was also led by a layw om an
nam ed Garigottara. A fter hearing this D harm a preachcd, the layw om an and all
the assembly left the household life. [In time,] they entered the nirvan a w ithout
residue. ”2
A nanda asked the Buddha, “ W hat nam e should be given to this sutra and
h o w should w e accept and uphold it?”
T h e B uddha said, “This sutra is called ‘Flawless P u rity,，and you should
accept and u p hold it by th at n am e .”
D urin g the preaching o f this sutra, seven hundred m onks and four hundred
nuns w ere liberated fro m defilements forever and their minds w ere set free.
A t that time, the gods o f the Realm o f Desire magically produced various
40 O n E m ptiness

kinds o f w onderful celestial flowers and scattered them upon the Buddha, saying,
“Rare indeed is this layw om an, w h o can converse fearlessly w ith the T athagata on
equal terms. She m ust have served and made offerings to countless Buddhas, and
planted good roots o f every kind in their p re se n c e .
After the B uddha had finished speaking this sutra, the layw om an G angottara
and all the gods, humans, asuras, gandharvas, and so forth w ere jubilant over
the B u d d h a’s teaching. T hey acceptcd it w ith faith, and began to follow it with
\*cncration.

NOTES
1. T he w o rd ‘n a tu re ’ here is a translation o f the Chinese character 相 ，w hich is m ore
often rendered as ‘sign ，，‘a ttribute ，，‘characteristic ，，‘appea ran c e ' ‘fo rm ，，etc. H ow ever, in
ccrtain sutras , 相 is som etim es also used to m ean 性 ，w hich is properly translated as ‘n a tu re ， .
2. W h e th e r the G angottara referred to here is the same individual as the Gangottara
present during the prcaching o f this siitra is not clear from the text. T h o u g h she could be
another person w ith the sam e nam e and similar karma, it is likely that she is the sam e person.
T h e question m ay arise, “If Gangottara left the household life and entered nirvaiia w ithout
residue long ago, h o w is it that she appears here as a lay questioner?”
A ccording to the H inayana doctrine, this question is almost impossible to answer,
since that tradition asserts that if one enters nirvaiia w ith o u t residue, one never returns to the
world. In M ahayana, how ever, the occasion o f a D h a rm a prcaching is looked u p o n as a
d ram a which may be replayed again and again, and a person w h o has entered nirvaiia m ay
reappear in a b o d y to benefit sentient beings.
T he M ahayana description o f nirvaria, callcd “non-abiding nirv 云r.ia，” states that it is
possible to achicve liberation and yet rem ain in the w orld for universal salvation. Such a
person abides neither in sarhsara nor in nirvaiia. H ow ever, the nonabiding nirvaiia o f M a­
hayana is not contradictory to the H inayana understanding o f nirvana. This is clearly d e m o n ­
strated b y the fam ous story o f the “B u d d h a ’s silence” (see Ag^i-Vaccha^ottasutta, in I.B
H o rn er, trans., The Middle Length Sayings (London: Luzac & C o ., 1957), vol.2, pp. 162-167)
w h e n he refused to answ er the question w h e th e r after parinirvana there exists a being w hich
is conscious o f that state. Thus, even according to the B u d d h a ’s teaching in the Pali tradi­
tions, one cannot say nirvana is annihilation, or that he w h o enters nirvaiia will never re­
turn to the w orld. T h e B ud d h a gave neither an affirmative nor a negative answ er to this
problem . (G.C.)
 4 善住意天子會

How to Kill with the Sword of Wisdom

Thus have I heard. Once the W orld-H onored O ne was dwelling on M o u n t G rdh-
rakuta near the city o f Rajagrha, accompanied by sixty-two thousand great m onks,
all o f w h o m possessed great virtue and w ere endow ed w ith miraculous powers.
T he m onks w ere led by ccrtain great Sravakas.
Also in the assembly w ere forty-tw o thousand Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas, led
by Bodhisattva M anjusrl, Bodhisattva Lion Banner^ Bodhisattva M aitreya, B o -
dhisattva Avalokitesvara, Bodhisattva M ahasthamaprapta, Bodhisattva K ing o f
Great Eloquence, . . . and others.
Also in the assembly at that tim e were sixty thousand devas, led by the Four
D cva Kings; the deva kings o f the H eaven o f the T hirty-Three; and Brahm a,
m aster o f the Saha W orld. Present, too, w ere the devas W ell-Abiding M ind,
Virtue, and G reat Ease, leaders o f thirty thousand devas w h o had long been
abiding in the Bodhisattva-path; tw e n ty thousand asura kings; . . . and sixty
thousand great dragon kings, . . . all o f w h o m had also been abiding in the
Bodhisattva Path. In addition, innumerable gods, dragons, yaksas, . . . monks,
nuns, laymen, and layw om en joined the assembly.
W hen the W orld-H onored O ne, surrounded by the assembly o f countless
hundreds o f thousands, was teaching the D harm a, Bodhisattva-M ahasattva M aii-
jusri, in his dwelling place, had entered the Samadhi D evoid o f C o n ten tio n and
M ind, rem aining quiet and motionless. T h e n M anjusrl rose from the sam adhi w ith
a calm mind, and at once six quakes、 occurred in innumerable Buddha-lands in the
ten directions.
Sutra 36，Taisho 310 ，pp. 571-592; translated into Chinese by D harm agupta.
42 O n E m ptin ess

Rising from the samadhi, M anjusrl thought, “In [each of] those infinite,
innum erable worlds, only one Buddha, a Tathagata, a W orthy O ne, a Perfectly
Enlightened One, appears, and such a one appears as rarely as the blossom ing o f an
udum bara flower. Therefore, the Tathagatas, the W o rth y Ones, the Perfectly E n ­
lightened Ones, are m o st extraordinary in the w orlds and their appearance is very
unusual, T he D harm a they teach can end rebirth and [sarhsaric] existence and lead
to the ultim ate quiescence o f nirvana; this is inconceivable, apart from discrimina­
tion, very profound, incomparable, and difficult to com prehend or fathom. If
Buddhas did not com e into the worlds, sentient beings w ould be unable to hear the
D h arm a explained, and their sufferings w ould be interminable. Therefore, n o w I
should go to see the Tathagata, the Perfectly Enlightened O ne, and ask him about
the D harm a, so that sentient beings m ay achieve good roots, and so that all those
w ho tread the Bodhisattva [-path] m ay have no d oubt about the very profound,
inconceivable B uddha-D harm as and m ay attain the enlightenm ent o f the Buddha.
Since the sentient beings in the Saha W orld are full o f desire, hatred, and ignorance;
do n o t perform white dharmas; arc obtuse, deceitful, insensitive to shame, ar­
rogant, and conceited; keep Buddhas at a distance; and disobey the D h arm a and
the Sarhgha, I should cause th em to hear the very profound, w onderful D harm a
explained so that they m ay acquirc the dear w isd o m -ey e.” 1
M anjusrl th o u g h t further, “N o w I should call together a host o f Bodhisatt-
vas fro m the ten directions, so that all o f them m ay hear the w onderful D harm a-
door explained by the Tathagata and attain the realization o f profound D h a rm a •”
W ith this thought, M anjusrl entered the Samadhi o f A dorning all with U n ­
defiled Illumination. While in this samadhi, he em itted a great light w hich illumi­
nated Buddha-lands in the east as num erous as the sands o f the Ganges, so that all
those lands becam e mild, lustrous, clean, clear, spotless, and inexpressibly w o nd er­
ful. T he light also illuminated w orlds in the other nine directions: in the south, the
west, the north, the four intermediate directions, the zenith, and the nadir. As a
result, all the dark, secluded places, cliffs, forests, great and small m ountains . . .
became bright, limpid, and transparent.
A t that time, all the Buddhas teaching the D h arm a in the w orlds in the ten
directions as num erous as the sands o f the Ganges w ere asked by their respective
disciples, “W orld -H o n o red O ne, w h y does this great, auspicious light appear in
the w orld? W orld -H o n o red O ne, w e have nev er heard o f or seen such a pure,
subtle light. W orld -H o n o red O ne, w h at light is this, w h ich causcs us to be over­
w helmed by great joy and to be pure in mind? W hat is this light w hich also frees
sentient beings from desire, hatred, ignorance, and other defilements, so that they
stop doing evil? W orld-H onored O ne, w h o emits this light and by w hose pow er
does it appear here?” W hen the disciples2 asked these questions, their W orld-
H o no red O nes kept silent and gave no answer.
A t that time, in the w orlds in the ten directions, all kinds o f sounds, such as
the sounds o f devas, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras; . . . o f h u m an s and
nonhum ans; o f elephants, horses, and other animals w ere hushed. T h e sounds o f
 T he Sw o r d of W is d o m 43

wind, fire, water, sea waves, music, and the singing o f h y m n s w ere also hushed by
the p o w e r o f the Buddha. All was in silence.
Then, the disciples o f the Buddhas in the w orlds in the ten directions asked
their respective Buddhas again, “W orld-H onored O n e o f great kindness, m ay
you, in order to show pity for and give peace, happiness, and benefit to all
devas and hum ans, explain to us the origin o f this light and w h y it can illu­
m inate all Buddha-lands!”
T he Buddhas in [the w orlds of] the ten directions gave the same answer, in
the same pure voice w hich is possessed by all the Tathagatas, as num erous as the
sands o f the Ganges, o f the w orlds in the ten directions. T hey all answered as if
only one Tathagata spoke. W hen the Buddhas answered their respective disciples
in this w onderful voice, all Buddha-lands quaked; hundreds o f thousands o f m-usi-
cal instrum ents o f devas, hum ans, and asuras sounded simultaneously and spon­
taneously. . . .
A t that time, the Buddhas, the W orld-H onored O nes in the ten directions,
told their respective attendants and disciples, “ G ood m en, you should n o t ask
about these things. Why? Because the occurrence o f this light is beyond the co m ­
prehension o f all Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas; if I speak o f it, all humans, devas,
and asuras will becom e confused and lost. Therefore, you should n o t ask about it.
If Buddhas, the Tathagatas, account for this light, they will say, ‘This light can
cause and fulfill inconceivable, superior good roots [of sentient beings]. Also, from
these inconceivable, superior good roots can arise such practices as th e paramitas o f
giving, discipline, patience, vigor, meditation, an d w is d o m .' A ll such practices [as
the paramitas] are caused by this light an d are also accomplished by it. Therefore,
even if w e Buddhas, Tathagatas, praise the merits o f this light for less than a kalpa
or for an entire kalpa, w e cannot praise them all. M oreover, since this light is
cultivated th ro u g h such good roots as kindness, compassion, jo y , and equanimity,
it can cause bliss.”
T hen, the disciples o f the B uddhas [of the innum erable worlds] in the ten
directions m ade the same earnest request again and again, saying, “M ay the W orld-
H ono red O n e explain to us the occurrence o f this light in order to com fort, benefi t
and show sym pathy for all devas and hum ans, as well as to bring to m aturity the
good roots of Bodhisattvas!"
W hen those Bodhisattvas had m ad e this request, all the Buddhas, th e W orld-
H o no red O nes in the ten directions, told their respective attendant disciples, “ G ood
m en, you should listen attentively. I am going to explain it to y o u .”
T he disciples said, “Yes, W o rld-H onored O ne, w e shall listen w ith plea­
sure.
Thereupon, the B uddhas told them , “ G ood m en, there is a w orld nam ed
Saha. In that w orld, there is a B uddha nam ed Sakyam uni Tathagata, the Worthy-
O ne, . . . t he W orld -H o n o red O ne. H e has appeared in a w orld o f the five
depravities. T h e sentient beings there are afflicted w ith desire ，hatred, ignorance,
and other defilements; they feel no respect and k n o w no shame o r rem orse, and
44 O n E m ptiness

m o st o f their deeds are evil. H ow ever, Sakyam uni B uddha was able to attain
supreme enlightenm ent in such a depraved world. N o w he is teaching the D harm a
to the people around him.
“G ood men, in that w orld, there is a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva nam ed M an ­
jusri, w ho is a great disciple o f Sakyam uni Tathagata. H e has great virtue; he is
fully endow ed w ith wisdom; he strives w ith vigor and courage; he possesses
aw esom e miraculous powers; he can cause other Bodhisattvas to acquire joy, to
complete their D harm a practices, to increase their power, and to strive cour­
ageously and diligently; he understands well all expressions o f the Dharma; he has
reached the other shore3 o f unhindered w isdom ; he has completely achieved unhin­
dered ^loquenc^i he has a free com m and o f dharanls; and he has already achieved
all the inconceivable merits o f a Bodhisattva. N o w he is going to ask Sakyamuni
Tathagata, the W o rth y One, the Perfectly Enlightened O ne, about a very p ro ­
found D harm a-door, in order to cause other Bodhisattvas to achieve good roots
and to cause those w h o follow the Bodhisattva-vehicle to secure all the incon­
ceivable Buddha-D harm as. N ow , good men, M anjusri emits this light to call
countless Bodhisattvas together from [the innum rable worlds] in the ten direc­
tions, so that they m ay acquire the superior Dharma. For this reason, M anjusri
emits this great light to illuminate all Buddha-lands.”
T he disciples of the Buddhas in the worlds of the ten directions asked their
respective Buddhas again, “W orld-H onored O ne, in w h at samadhi does M anjusri
abide so that he can emit this light?”
T he Buddhas in the ten directions told their respective attendant disciples,
“G o od m en, M anjusri has entered the Samadhi o f A dorning All w ith Undefiled
Illumination to give forth this light.”
T he attendant Bodhisattvas said to their respective Buddhas further, 41W orld-
H o no red O ne, w e have never before seen a light so pure, a light that can make
body and m ind so jo y fu l .，，
T he Buddhas said to the Bodhisattvas, “Is he not going to call together a
host of Bodhisattvas to teach them how to practice the D harm a? Is he not going to
sum m on a host o f Bodhisattvas and explain a subtle sutra to them ?， ，. ..
T h e Bodhisattvas said to their respective Buddhas, “W orld-H onored One,
n o w vve wish to go to the Saha W orld to visit Sakyamuni Tathagata; we will pay
hom age and m ake offerings to him and attend him; and we will ask him about the
m eaning o f the truth. We wish to see M anjusri and the o ther Bodhisattva-
Mahasattvas as well."
T hereupon, the W orld-H onored O nes said to the Bodhisattvas, “ G ood men,
you m ay go, as you wish. Y ou should k n o w it is the tim e.”
After b ow ing d o w n with their heads at their B uddhas’ feet, countless h u n ­
dreds of thousands of [millions of] billions of trillions of inconceivable, incalcula­
ble, immeasurable m yriads o f Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas [in the worlds] in the ten
directions disappeared from their respective lands and reappeared in the Saha W orld
as quickly as an able-bodied m an stretches and bends his arm. All o f them came to
 The Sw o r d of W is d o m 45

the W o rld -H o n o re d O ne, Sakyam uni Tathagata, the W o rth y O ne, the Perfectly
Enlightened One; som e came scattering various kinds o f fragrant things, such as
perfum ed ointm ent, pow dered incense, and fragrant garlands; som e came strew ing
flowers, such as blue lotus flowers, red lotus flowers, white lotus flowers, . . . and
so forth; som e came uttering hundreds o f thousands ot the m ost w onderful sounds;
som e came extolling the m erits o f the Buddhas in one、voicc heard all over the
billion-w orld universe. W ith so m an y kinds o f magnificent [ofterings], they came
to the W orld -H o n o red O ne, Sakyamuni Tathagata, the W orthy O ne, the Perfectly
Enlightened One.
W hen those Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas arriving from [the w orlds in] the ten
directions gathered in the Saha World, all the sentient beings in this billion-world
universe, including the beings in the planes o f hcll-dwellers, animals, hungry
ghosts, and the dom ain o f Yama, became tranquil, physically and mentally peace­
ful and happy, and free from desire, hatred, ignorance, and other poisonous m en ­
talities, such as jealousy, deceit, arrogance, and ill temper. All those sentient beings
became kind and extrem ely joyful. W hy? Becausc o f the aw esom e, miraculous
[blessing] p o w er o f the great Bodhisattvas from [the w orlds in] the ten directions.
W hen the infinite . . . Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas from the ten directions
arrived at the dwelling-place o f the W orld-H onored O ne, . . . they bow ed dow n
w ith their heads at the B u d d h a’s feet and circumambulated him three times to the
right. Then, they asccnded in midair and entered the Samadhi o f Invisibility. W hen
they w ere in the samadhi, sitting cross-legged on hundreds o f thousands o f various
w onderfully colored large lotus flowers, . . . they hid themselves from view and
did n o t appear a g a in .. . .
T h en the Venerable M ahakasyapa asked the Buddha, uW orld-H onored O n e
o f great virtue, w h y is there such a subtle, w onderful light in the world? W hy do
such clear, unprecedented auspicious signs suddenly appear?”
T he W orld -H o n o red O n e answered Mahakasyapa, 4tKasyapa, you should
not ask these questions. W hy? Because this realm is beyond the com prehension o f
Sravakas and Pratyckabuddhas. If I speak o f th e m eaning o f this light, all the
hum ans, devas, and asuras will be afraid, doubtful, and confused. Therefore, you
should not ask.”
M ahakasyapa entreated the B uddha further, “M ay the W o rld-H onored O ne
o f great kindness explain the profound occurrencc o f this light to benefit and
com fort all devas and h u m a n s . " . . .
Thereupon, the B uddha told Mahakasyapa, "Kasyapa, n o w M anjusrl is in
the Samadhi o f A d o rn in g All w ith Undefilcd Illumination, and, becausc o f the
pow er o f the samadhi, he is emitting this light to illuminate Buddha-lands more
num erous than the sands o f the Ganges in the ten directions, calling countless
Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas to the Saha World. T h ey have already arrived here, bow ed
d o w n w ith their heads at m y feet, and m ade three circum am bulations to m y right.
N o w they have ascended in midair to the height of a palm tree, sitting cross­
legged on thrones o f lotus f lo w e rs .. . .
46 O n E m ptin ess

kiKasyapa, bccause all those Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas are in the Samadhi o f

Invisibility, no Sravaka or Pratyckabuddha can see them ; only Buddhas and great
Bodhisattvas w ho abide in that realm can do so. ■.
Mahakasyapa asked the Buddha further, “W orld-H onored O ne, what achieve­
ments should a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva attain, w h at good roots should he cultivate,
and w h at merits should he acquire in order to enter the Samadhi o f Invisibility?”
The B uddha answ ered Kasyapa, “If a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva achieves ten
things, he can acquire the Samadhi o f Invisibility. W hat are the ten?
(1) T o be gentle, peaceful, and to abide deeply in right faith;
(2) never to forsake any sentient being;
(3) to achieve a m ind o f great kindness and great compassion;
(4) to understand all dharmas while rem aining unattached to their forms;
(5) never to grasp delusively for any Buddha-Dharmas, in spite of his aspira­
tion to seek them all;
(6) n o t to aspire for the w isdom o f Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas;
(7) to be capable o f renouncing ungrudgingly all m undane possessions, even
body and life, let alone other things;
(8) not to be contaminated by or attached to conditioned dharmas, although
he m ay undergo countlcss afflictions in samsara;
(9) to cultivate the imm easurable paramitas o f giving, discipline, patience,
vigor, m editation, and w isdom w ith o u t m aking distinctions am ong them ;
and
(10) always to think, ‘I will establish all sentient beings in the pursuit o f
B u d d h a’s enlightenm ent . . . and yet w ith o u t conceiving any notion o f
enlightenm ent or sentient beings.’
Kasyapa, the fulfilment o f these ten things enables a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva to
obtain the Samadhi o f Invisibility. ”• . .
T h en the Venerable M ahakasyapa said to the B uddha again, 44W o rld-H onored
One, n o w w e are very eager to see those Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas. W hy? Because
it is a rare o p p o rtu n ity to encounter th e m .”
T he B uddha said to Kasyapa, “Y ou should wait until M anjusri arrives.
T hose Bodhisattvas will rise from the samadhi, and after that, you m ay sec them.
Kasyapa, n o w that you have acquired countless hundreds o f thousands o f samadhi
d o o rs,4 you should concentrate y o u r m ind to discover w here those Bodhisattva-
Mahasattvas abide, h o w they behave, and w hat they are d o in g .”
A s soon as he received the instruction o f the Buddha, M ahakasyapa en­
tered tw enty thousand different sam adhi-doors by the aw esom e miraculous pow ers
vested in him by the B uddha and by his o w n miraculous powers, trying to dis­
cover w here those Bodhisattvas were and h o w they behaved. [He thought,] “Are
they walking? I cannot see them walking. Are they standing? I cannot see them
standing. Are they lying dow n? I cannot see them lying dow n. Are they sitting? I
cannot see them sitting. What is m ore, I do not know what they are saying, w hat
 T he Sw o r d of W isd o m 47

activities they are engaged in, w here they com e from, or w here they are g o in g .”
H e then rose fro m the samadhis and approached the Buddha, saying, “It is
strange, W orld -H o n o red one! It is strange, W orld-H onored One! I entered twenty-
thousand sam adhi-doors to seek those Bodhisattvas, but I did n o t see any o f them .
W o rld -H o n o red O ne, even those Bodhisattvas, w h o have n o t yet realized all­
k n o w in g w isdom , have obtained such a w onderful samadhi. W hat could be said o f
those w h o have attained suprem e enlightenment! W orld-H onored O n e, it is abso­
lutely impossible for the good m en and good w o m en w h o have witnessed this
miraculous feat not to bring forth suprem e bodhicitta prom ptly. W orld-H onored
O ne, even the Samadhi o f Invisibility is so powerful that it is beyond m y com pre­
hension, let alone other, [superior] sam adhis.,,s
The B uddha told Kasyapa, “It is so, it is so, ju st as you say. Even Sra­
vakas6 and Pratyekabuddhas cannot com prehend this realm, let alone other sentient
beings.” . . .

ii

A t that time, certain leading devas in th e assembly, such as W ell-Abiding M ind,

W onderfully Tranquil, and Hum ility, accom panied by nine billion six hundred
m illion devas, all o f w h o m followed the Bodhisattva-path, w en t together to M an ­
ju s ri^ dw elling place. W hen they arrived at his door, they made seven circum-
am bulations to the right, and then caused celestial flowers o f the coral tree to rain
down. T h e flowers raining d o w n spread out in space to form a floral net, [and
th en accum ulated, form ing a floral] platform ten leagues7 high, shaped like a pre­
cious stupa.
M anjusri picked up the floral platform and offered it to the W orld-H onored
One, and then, by his miraculous powers, he caused the space over all the lands in
the billion-w orld universe to be spread w ith floral nets. T he radiance o f the flow­
ers illum inated the w hole billion-world universe, m aking it becom e clear and
bright throughout. T here also rained d o w n celestial flowers o f the coral tree.
T hen Bodhisattva-M ahasattva MafijusrT, graceful and serene, em erged from
his dwelling. B y his miraculous powers, he further caused a w onderful throne
m ade o f the seven treasures to appear spontaneously in that place, a throne m ost
majestic and beautiful. After adjusting his robe, M anjusri took his seat on the
precious throne w ith a solemn look. As soon as he saw that Maiijusrl had been
seated on the precious throne, the deva Well-Abiding M ind bow ed d o w n w ith his
head at ManjusrT's feet, and then stood to one side. T he other devas all did the
same.
A t th at tim e, M anjusri thought, “T o d ay , w h o can discuss the profound
D h arm a w ith me in the presence o f the W orld -H o n o red One? W ho can be the
D harm a-vessel to take in statements that are inconceivable; statements that are
48 O n E m ptiness

m o st difficult to realize; statements w ith o u t a location,8 beyond attachment, and

beyond play-w ords; statements w hich are inapprehensible, inexpressible, very p ro ­
found. true, unhindered, and indestructible; statements conccrning emptiness, sign­
lessness. and wishlcssness; statements conccrning suchncss, reality, and the dhar-
m adhatu; statements that arc intangible, and cannot be grasped or abandoned;
statements concerning the Buddha, the Dharm a, and the Sarhgha; statements con­
cerning the fullness o f w isdom , the equality o f the three realms, the unattainability
o f all dharmas, and the nonarising o f all dharmas; statements o f the lion;9 state­
ments o f valor; statements w hich arc no statements at all? W ho can hear these
statements?”
Manjusri continued thinking, “ N o w , am o n g the devas here, only Well-
Abiding M ind has made offerings to m any Buddhas, attained the realization o f the
profound D harm a, and fully acquired eloquence; he alone can discuss the m eaning
o f reality w ith m e in the presence o f the W orld -H o n o red O n e .”
W ith this thought, M anjusri said to Well-Abiding M ind, “ Son o f heaven,
you have already attained the realization o f the profound D harm a and fully ac­
quired unhindered eloquence. Shall w c n o w go to see the W orld-H onored O n e to
discuss the profound, subtle doctrines?”
W ell-Abiding m in d answered Manjusri, “Great sage, I w o u ld o nly discuss
[these doctrines] w ith a person w h o does not speak to me, nor give m e any
discourse, question me, or answ er me; or else w ith a person w h o says that there is
no Buddha, D harm a, or Sarhgha, that the three vehicles should be put to an end,
that there is neither sarhsara n o r nirvana, that dharm as neither co m b in e n o r scatter,
that nothing is revealed or generated, that no sound is uttered, and that all w ords
should be p u t aside.”
M anjusri said to W ell-Abiding M ind, “ Son o f heaven, I w ould speak to one
w ho can take in m y [discourse] w ithout hearing, w ithout reading, w ithout recit­
ing, w ithout accepting, w ithout upholding, w ithout thinking, w ithout rem em ber­
ing, w ith o u t grasping, w ithout abandoning, w ithout percciving, w ith o u t k n o w ­
ing, and w ith o u t listening to m y w ords or explaining th em to o th ers.10 Why?
Bccause the bodhi o f all Buddhas is originally beyond all letters, w ith o u t m ind and
apart from the m ind, and devoid o f enlightenment. T h o u g h enlightenm ent is
spoken o f w ith arbitrary names, the names arc also e m p ty .”
W ell-Abiding M ind continued, “G reat sage, n o w please discourse to these
devas. T hey are willing and happy to hear w hatever you say.”
M anjusri said, “ Son o f heaven, I will n o t discourse to those w h o like to
listen, n o r to those w h o accept w h at they have heard. Why? Bccause those w ho
like to listen and those w h o accept a discourse are attached. T o w h at arc they
attached? T hey arc attached to a self, a personal identity, a sentient being, a life,
and a person. Being attached, th ey accept w h at th ey have heard. It should be
k n o w n that those w h o acccpt w h at they have heard abide in three kinds o f bonds.
W hat are the three? T he view o f a self, the view o f a sentient being, and the view
ot dharmas. Son o f heaven, you should k n o w that those w h o hear the D harm a
 T hf . Sw o r d of W isd o m 49

explained w ith o u t being bound by these three views abide in three kinds o f purity.
W hat are the three? N o t to see, distinguish, think of, or pcrccivc oneself [as a
hearer]; not to see, distinguish, think of, or pcrccivc someone as a teacher; and not
to see, distinguish, think of, or perceivc som ething as being taught. T hese are the
three kinds o f purity. Son o f heaven, if a person is able to hear in this way, he
hears w ith equality, n o t w ith inequality.”
W ell-Abiding M ind praised Manjusri, saying, “ Well said, well said! H o w
w onderfully you have spoken! G reat sage, those w ho can speak rhusly will cer­
tainly n o t regress.”
M anjusri said, “ Stop, son o f heaven! Y ou should not think d e lu s iv e ly and
discriminativcly o f the regression o f a Bodhisattva. Why? Becausc it a Bodhisattva
ever regresses, he will never be able to attain supreme enlightenment. W h\-' Be­
cause in bodhi there is no such thing as regression.”
A t this, W ell-Abiding Mind asked, “G reat sage, if so, from what docs
regression arise?”
M aiijusri answered, “ Son o f heaven, regression arises from desire, hatred,
and ignorancc; from craving tor cxistcncc; from ignorancc up to birth and death—
the tw elve links o f dependent origination; from causcs, views, names, and forms;
f ro m the Realm o f Desire, the Realm o f Form, and the R ealm o f Formlessness;
from the deeds o f a Sravaka and the deeds o f a Pratyckabuddha; from discrimina­
tion, attachment, signs, and clinging to signs; from the view o f nihilism and the
view o f eternalism; from grasping and abandoning; from the th o u g h t o f a self, the
th ought o f a sentient being, the thought o f a life, the thought o f a person, and the
th ought o f a personal identity; from thinking, bondage, and perversion; from the
view o f a self and the sixty-two views based on the view o f a self; from the 丨fivej
covcrs; from the [five] aggregates, the [twelve] entrances, and the [eighteen] ele­
ments; from the th o u g h t o f the Buddha, the th o u g ht o f the D harm a, and the
th o u g h t o f the Sariigha; and from such thoughts as: ‘I shall becom e a B u d d h a,1 ‘I
shall tcach the D harm a, ’ ‘I shall deliver sentient beings from saiiisara,' ‘I shall defeat
d em o n s,1 and ‘I shall acquirc w isdom ! ，Therefore, son o f heaven, if one docs not
discriminate the Tathagata's ten powers, four fearlessnesses, and eighteen unique
qualities; his roots, powers, enlightenment, and path;11 . . . and docs not discrimi­
nate those w h o discriminate and regress— then he is said to be nonrcgrcssing. ”
W ell-Abiding M ind asked Maiijusri further, “ Great sage, if so, h o w can a
Bodhisattva achievc nonrcgrcssion?”
M anjusri answered, “ Son o f heaven, you should k n o w th at nonregression
can be achieved from being conversant w ith the B uddha-w isdom , w ith emptiness,
with signlcssncss, w ith wishlcssness, w ith suchness, w ith the D harm a-naturc, w ith
reality, and w ith equality.”
W ell-Abiding M ind said, “G reat sage, according to w hat you say, discrimi­
nation and nondiscrim ination arc n o t different. Why? Becausc they both arise
from thinking and discrimination. In this sense, regression m ay be spoken of."
Then he asked further, “Is regression existent or nonexistent?”
50 O n E m p tin ess

M anjusri answered, “Regression is neither existent nor nonexistent.”

W ell-Abiding M ind asked, “ Great sage, if so, h o w can one regress?”
Maniusri answered, “To regard regression as existent and to regard it as
nonexistent arc b o th delusory grasping, perverted grasping, and devious grasping.
I rcter to regression in such a sense that I do n o t grasp for [its existence or
noncxistcnce,] n o r do I not grasp. T he so-called regression cannot be said to be
existent or nonexistent. W hy not? Because w hether you say that regression is
existent or say it is nonexistent, in both cases you fall into error. Why? Becausc to
sa\* that regression exists is to err on the extrem e o f eternalism, while to say that
regression does n o t exist is to err on the extrem e o f nihilism. T he W o rld-H onored
O n e says that one should abide neither in eternalism nor in nihilism; that things
should be regarded neither nihilistically n o r etcrnalistically.
“ Son o f heaven, if, in the w ay I have described, one considers [regression] as
unreal, th en his view is neither nihilistic n o r eternalistic. Son o f heaven, this is the
D h arm a-d o o r o f a B odhisattva’s [non-] regression.”
W hen this doctrine was spoken, ten thousand devas achieved the Realization
o f the N onarising o f Dharm as.

h i

W ell-Abiding M ind said to Manjusri, “G reat sage, n o w w c may go together to see

the Tathagata, prostrate ourselves w ith our heads at his feet, hear from him doc­
trines w c have n o t yet heard, and raise our questions in accordancc w ith the
D h a rm a .”
M anjusri said, “ Son o f heaven, do not attach yourself discriminatively to the
T athagata!”
W ell-Abiding M ind asked, “Great sage, w here is there any Tathagata to be
attached to?”
M anjusri answered, “H e is here n o w .”
W ell-Abiding M in d asked, “If so, w hy do I not sec him ?”
M anjusri answered, “ Son o f heaven, if you can sec nothing now , you really
see the T athagata.”
W ell-Abiding Mind asked, “If the Tathagata is here no w , w hy do you w arn
m e n o t to be attached to him ?”
M anjusri asked, “ Son o f heaven, w h at is here n o w ?”
W ell-Abiding M in d answered, “T h e realm o f voidness.’’12
M anjusri said, “ It is so. Son o f heaven, the Tathagata is n o other than the
realm o f voidness. Why? Becausc all dharmas are equal, like voidness. Voidness is
the Tathagata and the Tathagata is voidness. Voidness and the Tathagata are not
tw o; they are not different. Son o f heaven, he w h o wishes to see the Tathagata
 The S w ord of W isd o m 51

should contem plate in this way. I f he com prehends Reality as it is, h e will find that
nothing in it can be discrim inated.”
Then, b y his miraculous powers, Bodhisattva-M ahasattva M anjusrl pro­
duced from nothing th irty-tw o square, multistoried, jew eled halls furnished w ith
imperial carriages. . . . In the halls, there were w onderful precious couches covercd
w ith exquisite garm ents. O n each couch sat a magically produced Bodhisattva
possessing the thirty-tw o auspicious signs o f a great m a n .13
H aving manifested these magnificent things, M anjusri left to see the B u d ­
dha, together w ith the magically produced Buddhas and Bodhisattvas sitting on
their lotus seats . . . in jew eled halls furnished w ith imperial carriages. H aving
m ade seven circum am bulations to the right o f the B uddha and his m onks, they all
leapt into m idair and illuminated the assembly at the D harm a-site14 w ith their
lights. T hen they stood to the four sides.
T h o u g h M anjusrl had set o u t later than W ell-Abiding M ind, he ha^i sud­
denly arrived at the B u d d h a’s dw clling-place earlier than the deva.
W ell-A biding M ind asked, you take to arrive here so quickly?”
M anjusri answered, “ Son o f heaven, even those w h o m ake offerings and pay
hom age to Tathagatas as num erous as the sands o f the Ganges cannot see m y
going and com ing, advancing and stopping.” . . .

IV
T he Venerable Sariputra asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, who has caused
this auspice? W ho can cause . . . the magically produced Bodhisattvas sitting on
the lotus seats, and also those in the jew eled halls furnished w ith imperial carriages,
to em it great lights illuminating the assembly, . . . and cause such incalculable
billions o f devas and innum erable Bodhisattvas to com e to jo in us?”
T h e B u d d h a answered Sariputra, “T h e aw esom e miraculous pow ers o f M an-
jusri cause these w onderful, magnificent things to appear and the m ultitudinous
Bodhisattvas and devas to gather together. Why? Sariputra, because M anjusrl and
the deva W ell-Abiding M ind have led a great assembly here in order to ask me
about the D h arm a-d o o r called the Samadhi o f Defeating D em ons, and h o w the
inconceivable, profound B u d d ha-D h arm a can be fully achieved.”
T h en Sariputra asked the Buddha, “ W orld-H onored O ne, i f so, w h y d o I
not see M anjusri in the assembly?”
T h e B uddha answ ered Sariputra, “Wait a m om ent. M anjusri has gone to
cause all the d em o n kings and their subjects and palaces to un d erg o great ruin and
deterioration. His m iraculous feats are aw esom e and magnificent. H e is about to
com e back, and you will see him yourself.,5
M eanwhile, M anjusri had entered the Samadhi o f Defeating D em ons. Be-
52 O n E m p tin ess

causc o f the p o w er o f this samadhi, ten billion dem on palaccs in the billion-world
universe im m ediately became dilapidated, old, and dark, and seemed about to fall
to ruin. A tter undergoing these changes, the dem ons’ palaccs lost their splendor
and w ere no longer liked by the demons. T he dem ons saw their bodies bccom e
dull, decrepit, weak, and cmaciated, and they had to w alk w ith staffs; and the
celestial m aidens13 w ere transformed into old hags. Seeing these [changes], all the
dem ons telt very distressed, and the hair on their bodies stood on end. T h ey each
th o u g h t fearfully to themselves, “W hat bizarre events and inauspicious signs are
these occurring inside and outside o f m y body? Has the hour o f death com c and
m y karm ic rew ard been spent? Arc these the catastrophes heralding the destruction
o f the w orld at the end o f the kalpa?"
W hen the dem ons w ere thinking in this way, M anjusri again used his m irac­
ulous pow ers to magically produce ten billion devas w h o appeared before the
dem ons and told them , “D o n ’t be w orried and afraid! These are not misfortunes
befalling you, n o r do they signify the end o f the kalpa. Why? There is a nonrcgress-
ing, great Bodhisattva nam ed Manjusri, w h o has great, awesome miraculous p o w ­
ers and excels w orldly beings in virtue. N o w he is entering the D h arm a-d o o r
callcd the Samadhi o f Defeating Demons. It is bccause o f the aw esom e po w er o f
that B o dhisattva^ sam adhi that all these things take place, n o t for other reasons.”
W hen the magically produced devas said this, all the dem on kings and their
subjects becamc m ore fearful on hearing . • . the nam e o f Bodhisattva Manjusri; all
of th em trem bled and felt insccurc, and all o f their palaces shook violently.
Thereupon, the dem on kings begged the magically produced devas, “M ay
you be so kind as to save us from danger!”
T h e magically produced devas said to the demons, “D o n o t be afraid! D o
n o t be afraid! N o w you had better go quickly to see Sakyamuni Buddha, the
W orld -H o n o red One. Why? Because that Buddha, the Tathagata, is very kind and
compassionate; sentient beings will be eased o f their worries and sufferings and be
given pcacc and happiness if they go to take refuge in him w hen they arc afflicted
w ith mclancholy and fear.”
H aving uttered these words, the magically produced devas disappeared sud­
denly. A t that time, all the dem on kings and their subjects w ere overjoyed at w hat
the magically produced devas had told them. A lthough so emaciated and w eak that
they had to walk w ith staffs, they all wished to go. Instantaneously, they arrived at
the placc w here Sakyamuni B uddha was and said in unison, “W orld-H onored O ne
w ith great virtue, m ay you protect and save us from the pain and peril o f this
bizarre catastrophe! M ay you protect and save us! We w ould rather acccpt the
names o f hundreds o f thousands o f millions o f billions o f Buddhas than hear
Bodhisattva ManjusrT's nam e alone. W hy? Because as soon as we hear the nam e of
Bodhisattva M anjusri mentioned, w c feel greatly terrified, as if we were going to
die.”
A t this, the W o rld-H onored O ne said to the dem ons, 'TapTyans,16 w hy do
you say this? W hatever Bodhisattva M anjusri teachcs is beneficial to sentient be­
 T he S w o r d of W isd o m 53

ings. H u nd red s o f thousands o f [millions o f| billions o f Buddhas never accom ­

plished this in the past, n or arc they doing it at present, nor will they do so in the
future. It is M anjusri alone w ho has done, is doing, and will do this great feat for
sentient beings.17 After he has brought sentient beings to maturity, he leads them
to liberation. W hy do you, w h o are n o t distressed or terrified even w hen hearing
the names o f hundreds o f thousands o f Buddhas, say ‘We arc horrified w h en we
suddenly hear the name o f M ai\ju€rr?”
T h e dem ons replied, “W orld-H onored One, we utter these w ords bccause
w e are ashamed and afraid to becom c old and weak. W orld-H onored One, from
no w on w e take refuge in you, the Perfectly Enlightened O ne. M av vou be so kind
as to restore us to our original appcarance!”
T h e B uddha told them , “W ait a m om ent. W hen M anjusri returns, he will
rid you o f your sh am e.”
H aving risen from his samadhi, M anjusri returned to the B uddha together
w ith incalculable hundreds o f thousands o f devas, Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, drag­
ons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, . . . and so forth. . . . O n arrival, they bow ed
d o w n w ith their heads at the B u d d h a’s feet, m ade three circumambulations to his
right, and then stood to one side.
T he W orld -H o no red O n e asked Manjusri, uManjusri, did you enter the
Samadhi o f Defeating D em ons?”
M anjusri answered, “ Yes, W orld-H onored O n e, I did so for som e tim e ."
T he B uddha asked, uManjusri, from what B uddha did you hear this sa­
madhi? H o w long did it take you to cultivate and achicve it?”
M anjusri answered, “W orld-H onored One, before I b ro u g h t forth bodhi­
citta, I had heard this samadhi from a B u d d h a.”
T he B uddha asked, uManjusrI, w hat was the nam e o f that Buddha, that
W orld-H onored One, w ho explained this samadhi to you?”
M anjusri answered, “W orld-H onored O ne, I rem em ber th at countlcss, in­
conceivable, incalculable num bers of kalpas ago, there was a B uddha nam ed T a­
thagata Fragrance o f the Coral Tree Flower, the W orthy One. . . . He explained
the Samadhi o f Defeating D em ons w h en he appeared in the world. I heard it then
for the first tim e .”
The B uddha asked Manjusri, “H o w can one cultivate and achievc this sa-
m adhi?”
M anjusri answ ered, uW orld -H o n o red One, if a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva
perform s tw en ty things to perfection, he can achievc this Samadhi o f Defeating
Demons. W hat arc the twenty?

(1) T o denounce desire and destroy the m ind o f desire;

(2) to denounce hatred and destroy the m ind o f hatred;
(3) to denounce ignorancc and destroy the m ind o f ignorance;
(4) to denounce jealousy and destroy the m ind o f jealousy;
(5) to denounce arrogancc and destroy the m ind o f arrogance;
54 O n E m p tin ess

16 '；to denounce the [five] covers and destroy the m ind blockcd by the five
covers;
"■ to denounce burning passions and destroy the m ind afflictcd w ith b u rn ­
ing passions;
S . to denounce thoughts and destroy the thinking mind;
Sh to denounce views and destroy the m ind holding to views;
i to denounce discrimination and destroy the discriminating mind;
ill) to denounce grasping and destroy the grasping mind;
(12) to denounce attachm ent and destroy the attached mind;
(13) to denounce forms and destroy the m ind attached to forms;
(14) to denounce the existence o f dharm as and destroy the m ind that believes
in the existcncc o f dharmas;
(15) to denounce the [view that] dharm as are perm anent and destroy the m ind
that believes in the perm anencc o f dharmas;
(16) to denounce the [view o f the] annihilation o f dharmas and destroy the
m ind that believes in the annihilation o f dharmas;
(17) to denounce the [five] aggregates and destroy the m ind attached to the
[five] aggregates;
(18) to denounce the [twelve] entrances and destroy the m in d attached to the
[twelve] entrances;
(19) to denounce the (eighteen] elements and destroy the m ind attached to the
[eighteen] elements; and
(20) to denounce the three realms and destroy the m ind attached to the three
realms.
W orld -H o n o red O ne, a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w ho fulfils these tw en ty deeds
will achieve this samadhi.
“Furtherm ore, W o rld-H onored O ne, a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w h o culti­
vates four things to perfection can achievc this samadhi. W hat arc the four?
(1) T o be pure and gentle in m in d and deed;
(2) to be simple, honest, and straightforward;
(3) to be m entally attached to no th in g and to penetrate into the realization o f
the profound D harm a; and
(4) to be able to give everything, internal and external.18
“Furtherm ore, W orld-H onored One, a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w ho accom ­
plishes four things can achieve this samadhi. W hat are the four?
(1) T o hav e a perfectly deep m in d ;19
(2) to speak honestly;
(3) to enjoy living constantly in a sccluded placc; and
(4) to be unattached to forms.
••Furthermore, if a Bodhisattva accomplishes four things, he can achieve this
samadhi. W hat are the four?
 T he S w o r d of W isd o m 55

(1) T o associate closely with virtuous friends;

(2) to be content always;
(3) to sit alone in meditation; and
(4) n o t to take pleasure in noisy c r o w d s .. . .
“ Furtherm ore, if a Bodhisattva accomplishes four things, he can achieve this
samadhi. W hat are the four?
(1) T o cultivate em ptiness and give up ego;
(2) to cultivate signlcssness and be detachcd from all signs;
(3) to cultivate wishlcssness and get rid o f all wishes; and
(4) to abandon all possessions. • •
A t this, the Venerable Sariputra said to the Buddha, “H o w extraordinary it
is, W o rld-H onored O ne, that M anjusri could achievc the Samadhi of Defeating
D em ons long, long ago and, by the p o w er o f this samadhi, can cause Paplyans
[dem on-kings] and their dem on subjects to become so dccrepit, grayhaired, and
w eak in appearance and w ill.”
T h e B uddha said to Sariputra, "W hat do you think? D o you say that Maii-
jusri has m ade only the dem ons o f this billion-world universe so dccrepit? Sari­
putra, you should not think in this way. W hy? Because, Sariputra, now all the other
dem ons in the Buddha-lands as num erous as the sands o f the Ganges in the ten
directions arc debilitated, too. This is completely due to M anjusri's aw esom e
powers. ’’
T hen the W orld-H onored O ne told Manjusri, "Manjusri, now w ithdraw
your miraculous powers and restore the dem ons to their original ap p e aran ce .
When he received the instruction of the Buddha, M anjusri asked the de­
mons, “Kind sirs, do you really detest this appearance o f yours?”
T h e d em o n s answered, “ Yes, great sage.”
M anjusri said to the demons, "If so, now you should detest desire and not
attach yourselves to the three realm s.”
T h e dem ons said, “Yes, great sage. After w e hear your good teachings, how
dare w e disobey? M ay you use a little o f your aw esom e miraculous powers to free
us from this shame and pain!”
T hereupon, M anjusri w ithdrew his miraculous pow ers and restored the de­
m ons to their original appearancc, so that they bccame as magnificent as before.
T h en , M anjusri said to the dem ons, "Paplyans, take y o u r eyes for ex a m ­
ple. W hat is the eye? W hat is the th o u g h t o f the eye? W here is the attachm ent
o f the eye, the form o f the eye, the entanglem ent o f the eye, the hindrance
o f the eye, the notion o f the eye, the ego o f the eye, the reliance o f the eye,
the jo y o f the eye, the play-w ords o f the eye, the cgo-objects o f the eye, the
protection o f the eye, the impression o f the eye, the grasping o f the eye, the
abandoning o f the eye, the discrimination o f the eye, the contemplation o f the eye,
the achievement o f the eye, the arising o f the eye, the cessation o f the eye, and
so on, including the com ing and going o f the eye? All these notions cherished
56 O n E m p tin ess

in v our m inds bccom e dcm onic deeds and obstructions o f your realm. So it is
with the ear. nose, tongue, body, and mind; forms, sounds, odors, tastes, textures,
and dharmas. All these notions chcrished in your m ind bccom e dcm onic deeds
and obstructions o f y our realm. You should k n o w them as they really are.
"Furtherm ore, Papiyans, all y our eyes are not eyes; they are no eyes. There
is 110 thought o f the eye, no attachm ent o f the eye, no form o f the eye . . . [and so
on]. These dharmas are beyond y our realm. You cannot be master o f them; you
have no m ethod and no pow er to copc w ith them freely; they are beyond y our
grasping. So it is w ith the car, nose, tongue, body, and mind; forms, sounds,
odors, tastes, textures, and dharm as— all these you should k n o w as th ey really
are.”
W hen M anjusri had explained this doctrinc in the assembly, ten thousand
dem on kings engendered suprem e bodhicitta and eighty-four thousand dem on
subjects were freed from defilements and acquired the d ea r Dharm a-eyc.

Then the Venerable M ahakasyapa said to the Buddha, 44W o rld-H onored O ne, we
will ask M anjusri to allow us to see those Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas. W hy? Be­
cause, W orld -H o n o red O ne, it is a rare opportunity to encounter such great sages.”
T he W orld -H o n o red O ne told M anjusri at once, “ You should know that
everyone in this assembly is n o w yearning to see the physical forms o f the Bodhi-
sattva-Mahasattvas w h o have com c here from the ten directions. N o w it is time
for you to show th em to us."
H aving received the instruction o f the Buddha, M anjusri told Bodhisattva
D h arm a Wheel, Bodhisattva M oonlight, Bodhisattva Exorcising D em ons, B o­
dhisattva W onderful Voice, Bodhisattva Undcfiled, Bodhisattva Ultimate Quies­
cence, Bodhisattva Choicc, Bodhisattva Roaring o f the D harm a King, and count­
less other Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, “Great sages, now you should reveal yourselves
in your respective palaces and manifest the form s and shapes you have in your o w n
lands. ”
After M anjusri had said this, the Bodhisattvas rose from their samadhi and
revealed their physical forms for the w hole assembly to see. Some o f the B odhi­
sattvas5 physical form s were as big as M o u n t Sumeru. Some w ere eighty-four
thousand leagues tall. Some w ere one hundred thousand leagues tall; some, ninety-
thousand, eighty thousand, seventy thousand, and so on d o w n to ten thousand
leagues. Some w ere . . . one thousand leagues . . . one hundred leagues . . . ten
leagues . . . and so on d o w n to one league. Some o f the Bodhisattvas，physical
forms w ere the height and size o f the people in the Saha World.
A t that time, the billion-world universe was so fully occupied by the great
 T hh S w o r d of W isd o m 57

crow d that (it appeared to have] no vacant spacc. not even the size o f the head ot a
stick. All the Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas in the universe were endow ed with sublime
merits, profound w isdom : and awe-inspiring power. By their miraculous powers,
they em itted great lights to illum inate coundcss hundreds ot thousands o f B uddha-
lands in the ten d ire c tio n s.. . .
T h en M anjusrl rose from his scat, adjusted his robe, bared his right shoul­
der, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms tow ard the Buddha, and said,
“W o rld-H onored O ne, n o w I wish to ask the Tathagata, the W orthy O ne, the
Pcrfcctly Enlightened O ne, some questions. Will the W orld-H onored O n e perm it
m e to do so?”
T h e B u d d h a told Maiijusrl, “T h e Tathagata, the W orthy O ne, the Pcrfcctly
Enlightened O ne, perm its you to ask your questions. H e will explain the answers
to you to resolve your doubts and give you jo y . ”• . .
M anjusri then asked, “W orld-H onored O ne, w hat is a Bodhisattva-M aha-
sattva? W hat is the m eaning ot ‘Bodhisattva， ？”
T h e B uddha replied to Manjusri, “You ask w hat is a Bodhisattva [-M aha-
sattva] and w h at is the m eaning o f ‘Bodhisattva.，A Bodhisattva-M ahasattva is one
w ho can understand and realize all dharmas. Manjusri, the dharmas, all o f w hich
arc realized by a Bodhisattva, are spoken o f by m ere w ords. . . . Manjusrl, the
Bodhisattva realizes that the eye is by nature em pty and, in spite o f this realization,
he never harbors any such thought as: ‘I can realize [the eye].5 Likewise, he realizes
that the car, nose, tongue, body, and m ind arc em pty by nature, and in spite o f
this realization, he never harbors any such thought as: ‘I can realize th e m .’ He also
realizes that form is by nature em p ty, and in spite o f the realization, he never
thinks discriminativcly: ‘I can realize [form ].5 Likewise, he realized that sounds,
odors, tastes, textures, and dharmas arc by nature em pty, and in spite o f this
realization, he never thinks discriminativcly: ‘I can realize th e m .，These arc the
ways in w hich a Bodhisattva realizes all d h a r m a s .. . .
“ Furtherm ore, Manjusri, h o w docs a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva realize desire,
hatred, and ignorancc? H e realizes that desire is causcd by discrimination; that
hatred is causcd by discrimination, and that ignorancc is causcd by discrimination.
H e also realizes that discrim ination itself is em pty, nonexistent, devoid o f any­
thing, beyond play-words, inexpressible, and unrealizable. These arc the ways in
w hich a Bodhisattva realizes all dharmas.
"M anjusri, h o w docs a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva realize the three realms? He
realizes that the Realm o f Desire is w ithout a self and a personal identity, that the
Realm o f Form is w ithout action, that the Realm o f Formlessness is em pty and
nonexistent, and that the three realms arc rem ote and far away [from h im ].20 These
arc the ways in w hich a Bodhisattva realizes all dharmas.
“ Furtherm ore, Manjusri, h o w docs a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva understand
the deeds o f sentient beings? He understands that som e sentient beings act from
desire; some from hatred; some from ignorancc; and som e equally from desire,
hatred, and ignorancc. After he understands and realizes this, he reveals his k n o w l­
58 O n E m p tin ess

edge ro sentient beings, then teaches and converts them , causing th em to achieve
liberation. These are the ways in w hich a Bodhisattva realizes all dharmas.
"M oreover, Manjusri, how docs a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva understand all
sentient beings? H e understands all sentient beings by kn o w ing that th ey are only
names; that, apart fro m the names, there is no sentient being; that, therefore, all
sentient beings are no other than one sentient being and one sentient being is no
other than all sentient beings; and that, therefore, sentient beings are not sentient
beings. If he can practice nondiscrim ination in this way, the Bodhisattva-M aha-
sattva realizes all dharmas.
“Furtherm ore, h o w docs a Bodhisattva realize all dharmas? If a Bodhisattva-
M ahasattva can realize the path o f enlightenm ent, he realizes all d h a r m a s , . . .

VI
M anjusri asked the Buddha, “W o rld-H onored One, the B uddha has spoken o f the
Bodhisattva-M ahasattva's initial generation o f bodhicitta.21 W hat do you m ean by
the initial generation o f bodhicitta?”
T he Buddha answered, "If a Bodhisattva views the three realms as equal and
gives rise to all thoughts, he is said to be initially generating bodhicitta. M anjusri,
this is called the Bodhisattva’s initial generation o f bodhicitta. ”
M anjusri said to the B uddha further, "W orld-H onored O ne, as I understand
the doctrine taught by the Buddha, for a Bodhisattva, the generation o f desire in
his m ind is the initial generation o f bodhicitta; the generation o f hatred in his m ind
is the initial generation o f bodhicitta; the generation o f ignorance in his m ind is the
initial generation o f bodhicitta. W o rld-H onored O ne, are these not the initial
generation o f bodhicitta?”
Then, the dcva W ell-Abiding M in d said to Manjusri, “Great sage, if a Bo-
dhisattva’s generation o f desire, hatred, and ignorance is called the initial genera­
tion o f bodhicitta, then all the ordinary people in bondage are to be called B odhi­
sattvas w h o have generated bodhicitta. Why? Because ordinary people have always
been generating the three poisons— desire, hatred, and ig n o ra n cc ~ in their minds,
from the [beginninglcss| past until n o w .”
M anjusri said to W ell-Abiding M ind, “ Son o f heaven, you say that ordinary
people have always been generating the three poisons in their minds, from the past
until no w . T hat is not true. W h y not? Because, their m inds being w eak and
inferior, ordinary people cannot generate desire, hatred, or ignorance. O n ly B u d­
dhas, W o rld -H o n o red Ones, Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas who have
attained the stage o f nonregrcssion can generate desire, hatred, and ignorance;
ordinary people cannot do so.”22
W ell-Abiding M in d said, “Great sage, w h y do you now say such things,
w hich m ay cause the assembly to feel ignorant and to fall into a terrible maze?”
 T he Sw o r d of W is d o m 59

T h en , M anjusri asked Well-Abiding M ind, "Son o f heaven, w h at do you ^ !

think? When a bird flying about in the sky leaves no trace in em pty space, is it j
generating m o v em e n t or not?”
W ell-Abiding M ind answered, “W e cannot say that it is n o t generating
m ovem ent. ’’
M anjusri said, “It is so, it is so. Son of heaven, in this sense, I say that only
Buddhas, Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and nonregressing Bodhisattvas can gener­
ate desire, hatred, and ignorance.23 Son o f heaven, you should k now that to rely
on nothing is generation and that to be attached to nothing is generation. ‘T o rely
on nothing and to be attached to nothing’ is an expression o f nothingness, w hich is
callcd generation. It is an expression o f nondiscrim ination,24 w h ich is callcd gen­
eration. It is an expression o f nonproduction, w hich is called generation. It is an
expression o f insubstantiality, w hich is called generation. It is an expression of
nonentity, w hich is called generation. It is an expression o f no com ing, w hich
is called generation. It is an expression o f no going, w hich is called generation.
It is an expression o f nonarising, w hich is called generation. It is an expression
o f no entanglem ent, w hich is called generation. It is an expression o f no realiza­
tion, w hich is called generation. It is an expression o f no contention, w hich
is called generation. It is an expression o f no thinking, w hich is called generation.
It is an expression o f indistructability, w hich is called generation. It is an expression
o f inexpressibility, w hich is called generation. It is an expression o f unbreakability,
w hich is called generation. It is an expression o f wordlessness, w hich is called
generation. It is an expression o f no clinging, w hich is called generation. It is
an expression o f no abiding, w hich is called generation. It is an expression o f no
grasping, w hich is called generation. It is an expression o f no abandoning, w hich
is called generation. It is an expression o f no eradication, w hich is called genera­
tion. Son o f heaven, you should k n o w that this is the B odhisattva’s initial gen­
eration o f bodhicitta.
“Son o f heaven, if a Bodhisattva w h o brings forth bodhicitta does n o t attach
him self to, n o r think about, n o r see, n o r know , n o r hear, n o r recognize, nor
grasp, n o r abandon, n o r engender, n o r eliminate any dharma, he has truly b ro u g h t
forth bodhicitta.
“ Son o f heaven, if a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva can thus rely on the d h arm a­
dhatu, equality, reality, and ingenuity, he will generate desire, hatred, and igno­
rance. If he can defi nitely rely on these, he will generate the eye, ear, nose, tongue,
body, and mind; and will generate the attachm ent to form , feeling, conception,
impulse, and consciousness. In this way, he will generate all views; he will gener­
ate ignorance and craving for existence; he will generate the twelve links o f depen­
dent origination; he will generate the five sensuous desires; he will generate at­
tachm ent to the three realms; he will generate the view o f T ; he will generate the
view o f ‘m in e ，；he will generate the sixty-two views based on the view o f T ; he
will generate the thoughts o f the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Samgha; self and
others; earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness; he will generate the four
60 O n E m p tiness

w rong views; he will generate the four abodes o f consciousness;25 he will generate
the five covers; he will generate the eight errors,26 the nine afflictions,27 and the ten
evil deeds,
••Son o f heaven, I say briefly that Bodhisattvas should generate all discrimina­
tions. all objects o f discrimination, all modes o f expression, all forms, all pursuits,
all aspirations, all attachments, all thoughts, all ideas, and all hindrances. You
should k n o w th em as th ey really are. Son o f heaven, because o f this, if you arc able
nor to attach yourself to or think o f these dharmas, you truly generate th e m .1,28
The W orld -H o n o red O n e praised Manjusrl, saying, “Well said, well said,
Manjusri! It is excellent that you have fully explained for these Bodhisattvas the
m eaning o f the initial generation o f bodhicitta.29 Manjusrl, it is because in the past
you m ade offerings to innum erable Buddhas, W orld-H onored O nes, m ore n u ­
m erous than the sands o f the Ganges, that you can do this n o w .”
T h e Venerable Sariputra asked the Buddha, “ W orld-H onored One, is the
Bodhisattva’s initial generation o f bodhicitta, as explained by Manjusri, equal to
and not different from the Bodhisattva’s [later] attainm ent o f the Realization o f the
N onarising o f D harm as?,， 30
The B uddha answered, “ It is so, it is so, ju st as you say. Sariputra, in the
past, DTparhkara, the W orld -H o n o red One, predicted, 'Mariavaka, you will be­
com e a B uddha nam ed Sakyamuni Tathagata, the W orthy O ne, the Perfectly
Enlightened One, after incalculable num bers o f kalpas in the future.' Sariputra, at
that time, I achieved the Realization o f the N onarising o f D harm as w ith o u t parting
fro m [such a state of] mind. Therefore, Sariputra, you should k n o w that the
Bodhisattva’s initial generation o f bodhicitta is exactly w hat M anjusrl has said it is,
and n o t som ething else.”
M anjusrl said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored One, as I understand the
doctrine taught by the Buddha, all [generations of bodhicitta] are the initial genera­
tion o f bodhicitta. W hy? Because, according to w h at the W orld-H onored O n e has
said, the initial generation is no generation, and no generation is the Bodhisattva’s
initial generation o f bodhicitta.”
W hen this doctrine was spoken, tw enty-three thousand Bodhisattvas attained
the Realization o f the N onarising o f Dharmas; five thousand m onks ended their
defilements and achieved liberation; and six billion devas were freed from filth and
acquired the d e a r D harm a-eyc.
T hen Mahakasyapa said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, M anjusrl can
do such a difficult deed as explaining this very profound D h arm a-do o r for the
great benefit o f m any sentient beings.”
M anjusrl said to Kasyapa, “V irtuous Kasyapa, actually I have never done
anything that was difficult to do. W hy? Because no deed31 is done; nothing was, is,
or will be done. For this reason, Mahakasyapa, I do not perform any deeds, nor
leave any deeds undone. Kasyapa, I do not deliver sentient beings from sariisara,
n o r do I let th em rem ain in bondage. Why? Because all dharm as are nonexistent.
 The S w ord of W isd o m 61

Kasyapa, w h y do you say in the presence o f the W orld-H onored O n e that I can do
w hat is difficult to do? M ahakasyapa, I do nothing; therefore, be careful not to say
that I can do w hat is difficult to do. Mahakasyapa. I really do not do anything.
N o t only do I do nothing, but Tathagatas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Arhats also do
n othing. M ahakasyapa, w h o can do w hat is difficult to do? C orrectly speaking,
only children and ordinary persons can do w hat is difficult to do, and one w ho
says so is callcd an able speaker. W hy? Because no Tathagata acquires, has ac­
quired, or will acquire anything. Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas do not acquirc
anything, either. O n ly ordinary people acquire all things.”
A t this, M ahakasyapa asked Manjusri, “Great sage, w hat do Buddhas not
acquire?”
M anjusri answered, “ Buddhas do not acquirc a self, nor a personal identity,
n o r a sentient being, n o r a life, nor a person, nor a view o f nihilism or etemalism,
n o r the [five] aggregates, n o r the [twelve] entrances, n o r the [eighteen] elements,
n o r n am e and form; [they do not acquire] the Realm o f Desire, Form , or Formless­
ness; [they do not acquire] discrimination, nor contemplation, n o r mindfulness,
n o r anything arising from causcs, n o r perversion; [they do not acquirc] desire,
hatred, or ignorance; [they do not acquire] this era or any other era, n o r the T or
‘m in e .’ In short, they do not acquirc any dharm a whatsoever. Virtuous Kasyapa,
not a single one o f all the dharm as can be acquired or lost. T h ere is no bondage
and no liberation; no attachm ent and no relinquishment; no approaching and no
departure. Thus, Kasyapa, should you understand this D harm a-door. Buddhas,
the W orld -H o n o red O nes, attain nothing, w hile ordinary people, w h o act against
the D h arm a and lack learning, attain everything. Therefore, ordinary people can
do w hat is difficult to do, not Buddhas, Pratyekabuddhas, or Arhats. This is
called the action o f o rd inary people.”
Kasyapa asked further, “W hat do ordinary people do?”
M anjusri answ ered, “T h e y hold the view o f nihilism and the view o f eternal-
ism; becom e contaminated and attached; rely upon som eone or something; re­
m em ber and think of the past; grasp and abandon things; wield all play-words; and
discriminate things as superior or inferior and act accordingly. Therefore, Virtuous
Kasyapa, the Buddhas, the W o rld -H o n o red Ones, do not do anything. T hey have
not done, do not do, and will not do anything. O n ly ordinary people can do w hat
is difficult to d o .”
T hen M anjusri asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored one, w hat is the so-
called Realization o f Nonarising? W o rld -H o no red One, w h y is it also called the
Realization o f the N onarising o f Dharmas? H o w can a Bodhisattva achicvc this
realization?”
T h e Buddha replied to Manjusri, “Actually, not a single person achieves the
Realization o f the N onarising [of D harm as] amid the dharmas w hich arise. T o say
that one has achieved it is n o th in g but words. W hy? Bccause the dharm as that do
not arise arc unattainable and beyond perception, so that th e Realization [of the
62 O n E m p tiness

Nonarising] o f D harm as is unattainable. T o attain is not to attain; there is nothing

to attain or to lo se ~ th is is called the attainment o f the Realization o f the N onaris-
inkr o f Dharmas.
"Furtherm ore, Manjusri, th e Realization o f th e N onarising o f D harm as is to
realize in this way: no dharm a arises; no dharm a comcs; no dharm a goes; no
dharm a has a self; no dharm a has a master; no dharm a is grasped; no dharm a is
abandoned; no dh arm a can be found; no d h arm a is real; all dharm as are supreme;
all dharm as are equal to the supreme; all dharmas are incomparable; all dharm as are
uncontam inated, like spacc; all dharmas are free from destruction, apart from
nihilism, undcfilcd, b ey o n d purity, em pty, signless, and unsought; all dharm as are
apart from desire, hatred, and ignorance; all dharm as are no o th er than suchness,
the D harm a-nature, and reality. T hus should one realize that all dharm as are
beyond discrimination, response, m em ory, play-words, contemplation, action, and
pow er, and that all dharm as are fragile, false, and deceptive, just like illusions,
dreams, echoes, shadows, reflections in a m irror, [hollow] plantains, foam, and
bubbles on water. In that which is realized, there is nothing to be realized. T h e
realization is neither a dh arm a nor a nondharm a; it is only by w ords that the
realization is spoken of, yet these w ords are also inapprehensible, being devoid o f
basic nature.
44If, concerning the realization thus explained, a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva has
faith, understanding, and aspiration; is free o f doubt, bew ilderm ent, fear, horror,
vacillation, and depression; norm ally feels all kinds o f sensations th rough contact
w ith o u t conceiving that there is a bod y or an abiding place; then, Manjusri, he
attains the Realization o f the N onarising o f All D harm as. H e attains it also because
there is no th o u g h t w hatsoever acting [in his m ind].”
T h en M anjusri asked the Buddha, 41W orld-H onored O ne, w hat is the so-
callcd realization? Is not that w hich cannot be dam aged by external objects called
realization?”
A t this, W ell-Abiding M ind asked Manjusri, “Great sage, w hat is that w hich
cannot be damaged by external objects?”
M anjusri answered, “ Son o f heaven, w hat damages th e eye? G ood forms and
bad forms dam age th e eye. Ju st as forms damage th e eye, so sounds dam age the
ear; [odors, the nose; tastes, the tongue; textures, the body;] dharm as, the mind.
Son o f heaven, if a Bodhisattva sees forms w ith his eyes, he will not be attached
to, indulge in, discriminate, conceptualize, cravc, or abhor the forms, bccausc he
know s that they are em p ty by nature. H e has no thought o f forms, so he is not
hurt by them . T h e sam e is true w ith the other sense-objects, including objects o f
the mind.
“ Son o f heaven, if a Bodhisattva is neither bound to n o r hurt by his six
senses, he abides in the Realization o f the D harm a. A biding in the Realization o f
the D harm a, he will do aw ay w ith discrimination o f all dharmas; he does not
discrim inate or think o f them as arising or nonarising, defiled or undefiled, w hole­
 T he S w o r d of W isd o m 63

som e o r unw holesom e, conditioned or unconditioned, m undane or supram un-

dane. This is called the Realization o f the N onarising o f Dharm as. ”
W hen this doctrine was explained, sixty-three thousand sentient beings en­
gendered suprem e bodhicitta and twelve thousand Bodhisattvas acquired the Real­
ization o f the N onarising o f D h a r m a s .. . .

VII
W ell-Abiding M in d asked M anjusri further, “Great sage, if people com c to you
and ask to be fully ordained as sramanas, h o w do you answ er them ? H o w do you
teach them the w ay to lead a monastic life? H o w do you confer the precepts upon
them and teach them to keep the preccpts?”
M anjusri answered, “ Son o f heaven, if people com e to m e to renounce the
household life, I teach them by saying, ‘G o od men, n o w you should n o t v o w to
leave the h o usehold life. If you do n o t v o w to leave the household life, th en I shall
teach you the true ways to lead a monastic life.’ W hy? Because, son o f heaven, one
w h o seeks to leave the household life is [unwittingly] attached to32 the Realms o f
Desire, Form , and Formlessness. H e is also attached to the five sensuous pleasures
o f the w orld, to karm ic rewards in the future, and so forth. If good people seek
som ething, they will n o t realize the D harm a-truth, and as a result they will ap­
prehend the mind. O n the other hand, son o f heaven, if people grasp nothing,
they will realize the D harm a-truth, and as a result they will not apprehend the
mind. N o t perceiving the mind, they will n o t need to leave the household life;
having no need to leave the household life, their intention to leave the house­
hold life will n o t arise; having no intention to leave the household life, they
will n o t v o w [to leave the household life]; not v ow ing [to leave the household
life], they will give rise to nothing; giving rise to nothing, they will put an
end to suffering; putting an end to suffering, they will achieve ultimate exhaustion;
achieving ultim ate exhaustion, they will achieve nonexhaustion; achieving n o n ­
exhaustion, they will be beyond exhaustion. W hat is beyond exhaustion is em pty
space.33 Son o f heaven, this is w h at I teach those good men.
“ Furtherm ore, son o f heaven, if people com e to m e and ask to leave the
household life, I teach them , saying, ‘G ood men, do n ot v o w to leave the house­
hold life. W hy not? Bccause the vow docs not arise and cannot be made. D o not
think otherw ise and still intend to m ake such a v o w .’
“Furtherm ore, so n o f heaven, if people com e to m e an d ask to leave the
household life, I teach them , saying, ‘G ood m en, if you do n ot shave y ou r beard
and hair34 no w , you have truly left the household life.1”
A t this, W ell-Abiding M ind asked Manjusri, “Great sage, w h y do you say
this?”
64 O n E m ptin ess

M anjusri answered, “ Son o f heaven, the W orld-H onored O n e has said that
there are no dharm as to be severed and renounced.”
W ell-Abiding M ind asked further, “W hat is not to be severed and renounced?”
M anjusri answered, “ Son o f heaven, forms are not to be severed and re­
nounced, nor arc feelings, conceptions, impulses, or consciousness.
“Son o f heaven, if som eone thinks, ‘O n ly after I shave m y beard and hair am
I a sram ana,' you should k n o w that he abides in the notion o f a self. Becausc he
abides in th e notion o f a self, he docs n o t perceivc equality. Also, bccause he
pcrceives a self, he perceivcs a sentient being. Becausc he perceives a sentient

genders the th o u g h t o f shaving.

“Son o f heaven, if one does n o t pcrccive the form o f self, he does not
pcrceive the form o f other. As a result, he is not arrogant. Becausc he is not
arrogant, he does n o t hold the view o f a self. Bccausc he does not hold the view o f
a self, he does n o t discriminate. Because he does n o t discriminate, he does n o t
w aver. Because he docs not waver, he does aw ay w ith play-words. Becausc he
does aw ay w ith play-w ords, he grasps nothing and abandons nothing. Bccause he
grasps nothing and abandons nothing, he is free o f action and inaction, severance
and nonseverancc, separation and combination, dccrcasc and increase, gathering
and scattering, th o u g h t and mindfulness, spccchcs and w ords. Thus, he abides
sccurcly in the tru th .”
W ell-Abiding M ind asked, “Great sage, w h at is the m eaning o f the truth?”
M anjusri answered, “ Son o f heaven, the tru th is no other than voidness.33
Thus, voidncss m ay be called the truth. Voidncss is said to be the truth becausc it
is w ith o u t beginning and end, w ith o u t decrease and increase. T h at [dharmas arc]
em p ty by nature is the truth. Suchness is the truth. T he dharm adhatu is the truth.
Reality is the truth. Thus, such a tru th is no tru th [at all]. W hy? In the truth there
is nothing to be obtained; therefore, it is said to be no truth [at all].”
T hen M anjusri said to W ell-Abiding M ind, “ Son o f heaven, i f people come
to m e and ask to leave the household life, I teach them , saying, ‘G ood men, if you
can be unattached to a monastic robe now , I shall say that you have truly left the
household life/ ”
W ell-Abiding M in d asked, “ Great sage, w h y do you say this?”
M anjusri answ ered, “ Son o f heaven, Buddhas, the W orld-H onored Ones,
are attached to nothing. O n e should n o t grasp or be attached to anything they
teach.” . . .
A t that time, W ell-Abiding M ind asked Manjusri, “Great sage, w h o is a
m o n k who practices m editation?”
M anjusri answered, “ Son o f heaven, if a m o n k selects o n e practice fro m all
D harm a-teachings, th at is, the doctrine o f nonarising, and thoroughly complies
w ith it, he is said to truly practice meditation. M oreover, [if he know s that] there
is n o t a single dharm a that can be grasped, he is said to practice meditation. W hat
does he n o t grasp? H e does n o t grasp this era or that era, the three realms, and so
 T he Sw o r d of W is d o m 65

on, including all dharmas. [Abiding in] such equality, he is said to practicc m edita­
tion. Son o f heaven, if one w ho practices m editation docs not respond to any
dharm a, neither unifying him self w ith it n or separating him self from it, he is said
to [truly] practice m editation.” . . .

VIII
Well-Abiding M ind asked Manjusri, “ Great sage, will you allow me to cultivate
pure conduct [together w ith youj?”
M aiijusrl answered, “ Son o f heaven, I shall give y o u permission to do so if
you do n o t set y o u r m in d on practicing, seeking, or pursuing.”
W ell-Abiding Mind asked, “G reat sage, w h y do you say this?”
M anjusri answered, "Son o f heaven, if there is action, pure conduct can be
spoken of; if there is no action whatsoever, h o w can there be anything callcd pure
conduct? Furtherm ore, son o f heaven, if there is som ething apprehensible, pure
conduct can be spoken of; if there is n o thing apprehensible, h o w can there be
anything callcd pure conduct?”
W ell-A biding M ind asked, “Great sage, arc you not cultivating pure conduct
n o w ?”
Maiijusrl answered, “N o , son o f heaven, I am not cultivating any pure
conduct. W hy not? Becausc the so-called pure conduct is not pure conduct; be­
causc it is n o t pure conduct, I call it pure conduct. ” • . .
M anjusri continued, “Son o f heaven, now , if you can take the lives o f all
sentient beings w ith o u t using a knife, a cudgel, a large stick, or a stone, I will
cultivate pure co nduct w ith y o u .”
W ell-Abiding M in d asked, “ Great sage, w h y d o you say this?”
M anjusri answ ered, "Son o f heaven, regarding sentient beings, w h at do you
th in k o f th em ?”
W ell-Abiding M in d answered, “I think th at sentient beings and all other
dharmas are nothing but names and arc all concoctcd by th o u g h ts.”
M anjusri said, “ Son of heaven, I therefore say that now you should kill the
thoughts o f a self , o f a personal identity, o f a sentient being, and o f a life, eliminat­
ing the thoughts even o f these names. Y ou should kill in this w a y .”
W ell-Abiding M ind asked, “G reat sage, w h at instrum ent should one use to
kill [in this w ay j?”
M anjusri answered, “ Son o f heaven, I always kill with the sharp knife o f
w isdom . In the act o f killing, one should hold the sharp knife o f w isd o m and kill
in such a m anner as to have no th ou g h t o f holding the knife or o f killing. Son o f
heaven, in this w ay, you should k n o w w ell that to kill th e thoughts o f a self and a
sentient being is to kill all sentient beings truly. [If you can do that,] I will give you
permission to cultivate pure conduct [w ith m e].” . . .
 66 O n E m p tin ess

IX

At that time, in the assembly there w ere five hundred Bodhisattvas w h o had
achieved the four dhyanas and the five miraculous powers. These Bodhisattvas
w ere im m ersed in dhyana, w hether sitting or standing. T h ey did n o t slander the
D harm a, th ough they had not yet acquired the realization o f the D harm a-truth.
Possessing the miraculous pow er of k n o w ing their past lives, these Bodhisattvas
perccived their past evil karm a— killing their fathers, m others, or Arhats; destroy­
ing Buddhist temples or stupas; or disrupting the Sarhgha. Because they clearly-
perceived their past evil karma, they were always obsessed by profound mis­
givings and remorse, so that they could n o t realize or penetrate the profound
D harm a. It was because they discrim inated a self and w ere unable to forget their
past transgressions that they could n ot achievc the realization of the profound
D harm a.
A t that tim e, in order to rid those five hundred Bodhisattvas o f m ental
discrimination, the W orld -H o n o red O n e inspired M anjusrl w ith his miraculous
pow er; as a result, M anjusrl rose from his seat, adjusted his robe, bared his right
shoulder, and holding a sharp sw ord in hand, advanced straight tow ard the W orld-
H onored O n e to kill him.
H urriedly, th e B uddha said to Mafijusrl, “ Stop, stop! D o n o t do th e w ro n g
thing. D o n o t kill m e in this way. If you m u st kill me, you should first k n o w the
best w ay to do so. W hy? Bccause, Manjusri, from the beginning there is no self,
no others, no person; as soon as one pcrccives in his mind the existence of an ego
and a personal identity, he has killed me; and this is called killing.”
H aving heard the B uddha say this, the [five hundred] Bodhisattvas thought,
“All dharm as are illusory, like magic. In th em there is no self, no personal identity,
no sentient being, no life, no person, no h u m an being, no youth, no father, no
m other, no A rhat, no Buddha, no D harm a, no Sarhgha. There is neither killing nor
killer; h o w can there be falling [to the miserable planes o f existcncc] because of
killing? W h y is this so? N o w , M anjusrl is wise and intelligent, and his unrivaled
w isd o m is praised by the Buddhas, the W o rld-H onored Ones. H e has already
achieved the unhindered realization o f the profound D harm a, m ade offerings to
countless . . . billions o f myriads o f Buddhas . . . com prehended well and in detail
all B uddha-D harm as, and can discourse on those true doctrines. H e [used to] have
equal respcct for all Tathagatas. B ut now , he suddenly camc to kill the Tathagata
w ith a sw ord, and the W o rld -H o n o red O n e told him hurriedly, ‘Stop, stop! M a n ­
jusri, do n o t kill me! If you must, you should k n o w the best w ay to kill m e . ，Why?
Because if there w ere any real dharm a that could com e into existence th ro ug h the
com bination o f various elements, so that it could be called Buddha, D harm a,
Sarhgha, father, m other . . . , and if these dharmas could definitely be grasped, then
they could never be demolished. Actually, all dharmas are w ithout substance or
entity; they are nonexistent, unreal, delusive, perceived through w rong views, and
 T he S w o r d of W isd o m 67

em pty, like magic productions. Therefore, there is no sinner and no sin. W here is
the killer to be punished?”
H av in g contem plated and understood this, the (five hundred] Bodhisattvas
im m ediately achieved the Realization o f the N onarising o f D harm as. O v erw h elm ed
w ith joy, they ascended in m idair to the height o f seven palm trees one upon
another, and spoke in verse:

“All dharm as are like magic;

T h ey arise from discrimination.
N o n e o f them can be found;
All o f them are empty.
Because o f our perverted, delusive thoughts
A nd o u r ignorant, ego-grasping minds,
W e brooded over the m ost wicked
A m o n g our past karmas.
We com m itted great offenses
B y killing fields o f blessings—
Parents, Arhats, and m onks
These are vile transgressions.
For these evil karmas,
W e should undergo great pain.
Sentient beings caught in the net o f doubt
Will be rid o f their rem orse and bew ilderm ent
W hen they hear the D harm a explained.
T h e O n e w ith Great R en ow n 36
Has extracted poison from us
A nd resolved all o u r doubts.
W e have been enlightened to the dharm adhatu
A nd k n o w that no evils can be found.
T h e B uddha possesses ingenuity
A nd understands well o u r thoughts.
H e skillfully ferries sentient beings over samsara,
A nd frees them from the bondage o f doubts.
W here are the Buddhas?
W here are the D h arm a and the Sariigha?
N o w h ere can they be found!
From the beginning,
T here are no father and m other,
A nd Arhats are also em p ty and quiescent.
Since there is no killing o f them,
H o w can there be retribution for that deed?
68 O n E m p tiness

All dharm as by nature do not arise,

Like magical productions.
M anjusri is a person o f great wisdom,
W ho has penetrated to the dharm as’ source.
W ielding a sharp sw ord,
H e rushed to kill the Tathagata.
T he sw ord and the Buddha
Are o f one nature, not two;
B o th are devoid o f form and do not arise.
H o w can there be killing?”

W hen this subtle D h arm a-d o o r o f w ielding the sw ord was spoken, six quakes
occured in Buddha-lands in the ten directions, as num erous as the sands o f the
Ganges. Meanwhile, in the Buddha-lands in the ten directions, all the Buddhas
w ere teaching the D h arm a before their assemblies. T he B uddhas’ attendant disci-
plcs rose from their seats and asked their respective Buddhas, “W o rld-H onored
O ne, w h o perform ed the miraculous feat that caused the great earths to quake?”
T he B uddha in the ten directions answ ered their rcspcctive disciples, “G ood
m en, there is a w orld nam ed Saha. In that land, there is a B uddha nam ed Sakyam ­
uni Tathagata, the W o rth y One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, w h o is n o w
teaching the D harm a. In that w orld, there is an em inent Bodhisattva-M ahasattva
nam ed Manjusri, w h o has not regressed from suprem e enlightenm ent since the
rem ote past. In order to dispel the mental attachm ent o f som e novice Bodhisattvas,
he himself, w ith a sharp sw ord in hand, rushed to kill Sakyam uni Tathagata as a
means o f revealing the profound D harm a. It is for this reason that the great earths
quaked. Because o f this sw ord o f W isdom, that Buddha, the W orld-H onored One,
explained the profound D harm a to causc incalculable myriads o f sentient beings to
acquire the clear D harm a-cyc, to achicvc mental liberation, or to attain the realiza­
tion o f the p ro fo un d Dharm a, so that they all abide securely in [the pursuit of]
b o d h i.”
When perform ing this great miraculous feat, the W orld-H onored O ne, by
the p o w e r o f ingenuity, caused all the novicc Bodhisattvas in the assembly w ho
had few good roots, as well as the sentient beings w ho had not parted w ith
discrimination and w h o w ere attached to forms, not to sec M anjusri wielding the
sword, n o r to hear the doctrine explained.37
At that time, the Venerable Sariputra asked Manjusri, “Great sage, now you
have perform ed the m ost w icked karma. You attem pted to kill the great Teacher
o f gods and hum ans. W hen this karma comes to maturity, w hat retribution will
you rcceive?”
M anjusri answered Sariputra, “It is so, virtuous one, ju st as you say; I have
perform ed such a w icked karma. H ow ever, I really do not k n o w h o w I shall
reccive any retribution. Sariputra, in m y opinion, I shall undergo it ju st as a
 T he Sw o r d of W isd o m 69

magically produced being does w h e n his illusory karm a ripens. W hy? Because the
magically produced being makes no discrimination and has no thoughts, and all
dharm as are illusory, like magic. Furtherm ore, Sariputra, let m e ask you som e­
thing, and you m ay answ er as you like. W hat do you think? D o you think that
you have really seen the sw ord?”
Sariputra answered, “N o .”
M anjusri asked, “Are you sure that the evil karm a definitely exists?”
Sariputra answ ered, “ N o .”
MaiijusrT asked, “D o you definitely pcrccive a retribution tor that evil karm a?”
Sariputra answered, “N o . ”
M anjusri said, “Thus, Sariputra, sincc there is no sw ord and no karm a or
retribution, who perform s that karm a and w ho will undergo the karm ic retribu­
tion? Yet you n o w ask m e w hat retribution I will re c c iv c ,
Sariputra asked, "Great sage, w h y do you say so?”
M anjusri answered, “In m y opinion, there is no such thing as the ripening o f
a karm ic result. W hy? Becausc all dharmas are devoid o f k arm a, karm ic results,
and the ripening o f karm ic results•” . . .

T he W orld -H o n o red One said to MaiijusrT, "M anjusri, one w ho hears the explana­
tion o f this sutra, this profound D harm a-door, is not different from one w h o lives
at the tim e w hen a Buddha appears in the world. Manjusri, one w ho hears this
sutra explained is not different from one w h o realizes the fruit o f a Strcam-cnterer,
o f a O ncc-rcturner, o f a N onrctum er, or o f an Arhat. W hy? Bccausc this sutra is
not different from suchncss.
''M anjusri, one w h o believes and understands this sutra after having heard it
explained is n o t different from a Bodhisattva in his last cxistcncc, w h o will w ith­
out fail attain suprem e enlightenm ent sitting on the bodhi-sitc under the bodhi-
tree. Why? Becausc this D h arm a-d o o r is the essential path o f the Buddhas, the
W orld-H onored Ones, in the past, present, and future.”
A t this, M anjusri said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, it is so, it is so,
ju st as the B uddha says. T his sutra is not different from emptiness, signlcssness,
wishlcssncss, suchness, the dharm adhatu, reality, equality, liberation, and freedom
from passions. ”
Then, M anjusri continued, “W orld-H onored O ne, m ay the Tathagata pro­
tect and maintain this profound D h arm a-d o o r so as to causc this sutra to prevail in
the w orld for five hundred years in the [coming] Last Era, so that all the good m en
and good w o m en then will be able to hear it!”
W hen M anjusri m ade this request, countlcss musical instrum ents sounded
spontaneously in the billion-w orld universe, all the trees burgeoned spontaneously,
70 O n E m p tiness

and all the flowers bloom ed. Also, six quakes occurred in the billion-w orld uni­
verse. Great lights were em itted to illuminate the w hole billion-w orld universe so
brightly that sunlight and m o o n lig h t w ere outshone and seen no m o r e . . . .
Then. M anjusrl asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored One, docs this unusual
auspicc portend that this D h arm a-do o r will last forever and prevail all over the
w orld in the future?”
T he B uddha replied, “ It is so, it is so. This good o m en is manifested solely
to show that this sutra will last forever and prevail all over the w orld. ” • . .
After the W orld-H onored O n e had finished teaching this sutra, Manjusri,
W ell-Abiding M ind, the Bodhisattvas from the ten directions, all the devas, the
Venerable Sariputra, the Venerable Mahakasyapa, the m onks, all the gods, h u ­
mans, asuras, dragons, ghosts, spirits, and so forth w ere overjoyed at hearing w hat
the B uddha had taught. T hey accepted it w ith faith and began to practice it w ith
veneration.

NOTES

1. See N um erical Glossary, “Hvc kinds o f e y e s /，A Strcam -enterer acquires the clear
D harm a-cye, the enlightened vision w hich clearly sees the D h a rm a -tru th — the emptiness o f
all dharm as. An A rhat or a P ratyekabuddha acquires the d e a r w isdom -eyc, w hich enables
him to realize or penetrate the D h a rm a-tru th . T he difference betw een the tw o is in their
degree o f profundity, n ot in their nature.
2. ‘Disciplcs，here is n ot a translation o f 'Sravakas1. As indicated below , m any o f the
disciplcs are Bodhisattvas.
In this and m an y o f the follow ing passages, the Chinese text alternately reads 'disci­
ples', "attendants', or 'attendant disciplcs，
. W e have n ot adopted the term "attendants', how ever.
3. See also “six param itas” in the N um erical Glossary.
J 4. Such samadhis are called samadhi-doors becausc they lead to the countless samadhis
of Buddhas. (See Ta Chih Tu Lun, Chap. 22)
5. The original text reads: “W o rld -H o n o red O ne, the Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas w h o
can achievc the Samadhi o f Invisibility are never apart from this w onderful sam adhi in spite
o f the fact that they w ear the arm or o f vigor in order to save all sentient b eings.” A nother
rendering is: uW o rld -H o n o re d O ne, Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas w h o can acquire the Samadhi
o f Invisibility, although they intend to be vigorous and save all sentient beings, should never
be apart from this w onderful sa m ad h i." B oth translations do not fit the context. T h u s w e
have here adopted B odhiruci's version (Taisho 341 ，p. 119).
6. M ahakasyapa is a Sravaka.
7. W e translate the Skt. yojana as ‘leagues， ，because w c cannot find an exact equivalent.
A yojana is said to be the distance o f a day's m arch for the royal army.
8. I.e., inapprehensible.
9. In the Chinese tradition, M anjusri is symbolically associated w ith the lion. H e is
 T he S w o r d of W isd o m 71

usually portrayed as riding a lion in Chinese art. T h e lion sym bolizes intrepidity, w hich
arises from w isdom . In Part IX below , Manjusri, w h o is the em b o d im en t o f the w isd o m o f
all B uddhas, dauntlessly wields the s w o rd o f w isdom .
10. O riginally this scntcncc was translated: “Son o f heaven, I w o u ld speak to one w h o
can take in m y |discourse] w ith o u t hearing, reading, reciting, acccpting, upholding, th ink­
ing, rem em bering, grasping, abandoning, perceiving, know ing. . . . ” From the v iew p o in t o f
literary translation, this is preferable and less clumsy. H ow ever, from a religious or yogic
view point it is better to repeat each negation, so that a devoted reader can m editate on
em ptiness w hile he reads the sutra. T h u s ou r original translation w o u ld serve w ell as a
conceptual negation o f the actions listed; how ever, it falls short o f being a meditative device
to practice emptiness. (G.C.)
11. N am ely, the five roots, the five pow ers, the seven factors o f enlightenm ent, and
the eightfold noble path.
12. O r, “the realm o f space,”
13. That is, the th irty -tw o auspicious signs o f a B uddha or a universal m onarch.
14. T h e place w h e re the D h a rm a is taught.
15. Refers to the female dem ons w h o live in the Sixth Heaven, w hich is the dwelling
place o f celestial demons.
16. Papiyan is the nam e o f the dem o n king w h o rules the Sixth Heaven, the highest
heaven in the Realm o f Desire o f a small world. Here the plural form refers to all dem on
kings in the billion-w orld universe.
17. This statem ent is an exam ple o f h ow , in m y opinion, the sutras are sym bolic and
pedagogical, and should not be interpreted literally. Manjusri, w h o em bodies the w isd o m o f
all B uddhas, is sh o w n here as being o f m ore benefit to sentient beings than is the Buddha.
T h e reason for this seem ing overstatem ent is to stress the fact that only the transcendental
w isdom o f prajndpdramita, w hich M a n jusri embodies, can conqucr dem ons, and n ot magical
form ulas, spells, or other thaum aturgical techniques. (G.C.)
M anjusri has been referred to as the “m o th e r’，o f the E nlightened O nes in the three
periods o f time. In a sutra called ‘‘ 放 缽 經 ， ，the Buddha says, ‘‘1 o w e it to M anjusri that I no w
becom e a Buddha. Innum erable Buddhas in the past had been M anjusri's disciples, and those
w h o will becom e Buddhas in the future also o w e their enlightenm ent to his aw esom e pow er.
Just as children in the w orld have their o w n parents, so M anjusri assum es parenthood on the
B udd ha-path."
18. Follow ing each list o f four is the statem ent, “Fulfillment o f these four things
enables a B odhisattva-M ahasattva to achievc this sam adhi.” W e om it this repetition for
b re v ity ’s sake.
19. ‘D eep m in d ’ seems to im ply the deep aspiration for the D harm a, the aspiration for
p rofound, suprem e B uddhahood.
20. T h e tw o Chinese characters i i 離 m ay be translated as 'far apart.1 T h e y are trans­
lated as ‘detachcd’ in o ther places. In this context, h ow ever, it seems to be m ore appropriate
to render th em as ‘re m o te and far a w a y ，；taken in this sense, they im ply that the three realms
are som ething forever inapprehensible.
21. Here, the “initial generation o f bodhicitta” probably refers to the transcendental
bodhicitta ( 勝 義 莕 提 心 ），shared by Bodhisattvas in the ten stages. It differs from the genera­
tion o f bodhicitta by a beginner Bodhisattva.
22. Desire, hatred, and ignorance are utterly e m p ty o f any self-entity. For this reason,
as M anjusri explains below , only those w h o have true realization o f emptiness can “generate”
72 O n E m ptin ess

or experience the three poisons (or any o th er dharmas) as they are— as e m p ty o f sclf-naturc.
O rd in a rv people view and cxperiencc the three poisons only in the illusory aspect o f those
dharnias. as apparently self-cxistent entities. But w hen a com plete identification o f desire,
hatred, and ignorance w ith emptiness has been m ade, one can at that m o m e n t expcricnce the
three poisons in their basic nature. (V.S.B.)
23. T hose w h o have realized emptiness d o indeed cncountcr the poisons (here c o m ­
pared to the m o v em e n t o f a bird in the sky), but they do so while dwelling in emptiness
(compared to “leaving no tracc in e m pty space， ，).
24. N othingness, nondiscrim ination, and so forth arc all approxim ate characteristics o f
emptiness, the dynam ic function o f w hich “generates” all dharmas.
25. T h e abodes o f consciousness are the objects w hich the consciousncss abides in,
relies on, and clings to. T h e o th e r four aggregates— form , feeling, conccption, and impulse—
are the four abodes o f consciousness.
26. T h e opposites o f the eight items o f the eightfold noble path: w ro n g view, w ro n g
thought, and so forth.
27. T he nine activities (som etim es given as ten) w hich the B uddha suffered in this
w orld, for example, practicing asceticism for six years, returning w ith an e m p ty bow l after
begging for food in a village, ctc. For details, sec “O n the Param ita of Ingenuity” (Chap. 22).
28. M anjusrl's rem ark here appears to nullify all good and evil, right and w rong,
D h arm a and n o n -D h a rm a, and so forth, and thus to invalidate all the usual Buddhist teach­
ings; how ever, from a higher viewpoint o f thorough emptiness and thorough equality, i.e.,
the totalistic at-one-m ent o f all in one and one in all, the rem ark is an ineluctable corollary o f
the emptiness doctrine. If one can truly understand the principle o f “ form is emptiness and
emptiness is fo r m ," he should also be able to understand that all passion-desires arc bodhi
itself, and that the virtuous and the evil, the g o o d and the bad, etc., are ultim ately equal and
at-onc. Here, w c m ay w itness h o w Tantric philosophy is a natural o u tcom e o f the em ptiness
doctrine. (G .C.)
29. This, w c believe, refers to the initial generation o f the transcendental bodhicitta
o f the first stage.
30. T h ere are different opinions as to at w h a t stage (bhumi) a Bodhisattva achieves the
Realization o f the Nonarising o f D harm as; som e texts say the first, b ut m ost texts say the
eighth. T h e passage here obviously implies the eighth stage. O n e begins to abide in the first
stage w hen he initially generates the true or transcendental bodhicitta.
31. Literally, “d h a rm a s.”
32. Based on B o dhiruci’s version (Taisho 341, p. 127). T he original reads “seeks.”
53. For m o re explanation, see “T h e Manifestation o f Lights55 (Chap. 11).
34. Literally, ‘‘sever and renounce.”
35. Literally, “e m p ty spacc.”
36. T h a t is, the Buddha.
37. In ord e r to pro tec t profound doctrincs from being distorted, and to protcct ccrtain
sentient beings from grave m isunderstanding, the Buddha som etim es docs not reveal partic­
ular teachings to those sentient beings w h o arc not yet able to understand them. Such
doctrines arc called “e so te ric ”
 5 無垢施菩薩應辯會

A Discourse on Ready Eloquence

T hus have I heard. O n ce the Buddha was dwelling in the garden of Anathapindada
in the Jeta G rove near SravastT,. accompanicd by the thousand great monks. Except
for Ananda, those m onks were all Arhats. H aving ended all their defilements, they
no longer suffered any afflictions. T hey were at ease w ith everything. T hey had
done w h at they had set out to do, laid do w n the heavy burden [of sarhsara],
acquired benefit for themselves, and broken the tics o f existence. T h ro u g h right
know ledge, they had achieved liberation, both from passions and from ignorance.
T hey w ere mentally free; their minds, like great elephant kings, w ere subdued.
T h ey had reached the o ther shore and had entered the eightfold liberation.
Also in the assembly w ere twelve thousand Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas, all
adorned [with merits] and k n o w n to all, w h o had attained nonregression and
w ould achicvc B uddhahood in their next lives. A m o n g them w ere Bodhisatt­
va Precious H and, Bodhisattva Treasury o f Virtue, Bodhisattva A dorned w ith
W isdom . Bodhisattva Wish-Fulfiller, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, D harm a Prince
Manjusri, D harm a Prince Pleasant Voicc, D harm a Prince Inconceivablc Liberative
Deeds, D h arm a Prince U nobstructed Contem plation o f All Dharmas, Bodhisattva
M aitrcya, Bodhisattva G iver o f Lightheartedness, Bodhisattva N o Deluded Views,
Bodhisattva E x em p t fro m Miserable Realms, Bodhisattva N o D eluded Deeds,
Bodhisattva Free o f Darkness, Bodhisattva Free from All C o v ers,1 Bodhisattva
A dorned w ith Eloquence, Bodhisattva A w esom e W isdom and Prccious Merit,
Bodhisattva G olden Flower o f Brilliant Virtue, and Bodhisattva U nobstructed
Thought.

Sutra 33，Taisho 310 pp. 556-564; translated into Chinese by N ieh T ao-chen.
74 O n E m p tin ess

O ne m orning, eight great Sravakas and eight great Bodhisattvas, w earing

monastic robes and holding bow ls’ entered SravastI to beg for food. T h ey were: the
Virtuous Sariputra, the V irtuous M audgalyayana, the V irtuous Mahakasyapa, the
Virtuous Subhuti, the Virtuous Purnam aitrayaniputra, the Virtuous Revata, the
Virtuous A niruddha，the V irtuous Ananda, D h arm a Prince Manjusri, Bodhisattva
N o D eluded V iew s’ Bodhisattva Precious Form, Bodhisattva E x em p t from M iser­
able Realms, Bodhisattva Free from All Covers, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, B o­
dhisattva A dorned w ith Eloquence, and Bodhisattva N o D eluded Deeds. O n the
way, each o f them had one thought in his m ind and discussed it w ith the others.
T he Virtuous Sariputra said’ “W hen I reach SravastI to beg for food, I will
enter a dhyana2 that will cause all the sentient beings in the city to hear the four
n oble truths. ”
The V irtuous M audgalyayana said, “W hen I reach SravastI to beg for food, I
will enter a dhyana that will cause all the sentient beings in the city to be free from
d em o n s’ influence."
T he V irtuous M ahakasyapa said, “W hen I reach SravastI to beg for food, I
will enter a dhyana that will causc all the sentient beings in the city w h o give me
food to receive endless rewards until they achieve nirvana."
T he V irtuous Subhuti said’ “W hen I reach SravastI to beg for food, I will
enter a dhyana that will cause the sentient beings in the city w h o see m e to be
reb o rn in heaven or as h u m an s’ to enjoy all pleasures, and to suffer no m o re ."
T he V irtuous Purnam aitrayaniputra said, “W hen I reach SravastI to beg for
food, I will enter a dhyana that will cause all those in the city who follow w ro n g
paths, such as brahm acarins and naked ascetics, to acquire right view."
The V irtuous Revata said, “W hen I reach SravastI to beg for food, I will
enter a dhyana that will cause all the sentient beings in the city to enjoy the
pleasure o f nondisputation. ”
T h e V irtuous A niruddha said, “W hen I reach SravastI to beg for food, I will
enter a dhyana that will cause all the sentient beings in the city to recognize the
retributions for karm as com m itted in past lives.”
T h e V irtuous A nanda said’ “W hen I rcach SravastI to beg for food, 1 will
enter a dhyana that will cause all the sentient beings in the city to rem em ber all the
D h arm a they have learned."
D h arm a Prince M anjusri said, “ I will causc all the doors’ w in d o w s’ walls,
im plem ents, trees, branches, leaves, flowers, fruits, clothes, and necklaces in the
city o f SravastI to m ake sounds [teaching] emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness,
egolessness, nothingness, avoidance o f play-words, and the absence o f self-entity."
Bodhisattva N o D eluded Views said, “ I will causc everything seen b y the
sentient beings in SravastI w h o deserve suprem e enlightenm ent to becom e a Bud-
dha-im age，and in this w ay I will cause them to attain suprem e enlightenm ent
w ithout fail.”
Bodhisattva Precious Form said, “I will cause prodigious quantities o f the
seven treasures to appear in the houses o f all the people in SravastI, regardless o f
caste."
 D isc o u rse on R ead y E lo q u e n c e 75

Bodhisattva E x em p t from Miserable Realms said, “I will cause the sentient

beings in SravastT w h o are destined to fall to the miserable planes of existence [after
death] to undergo slight sufferings in their present lives [instead] and to be liber­
ated quickly.”
Bodhisattva Free from All Covers said, “ I will cause the sentient beings in
SravastT to com pletely rid themselves o f the five covers.11
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara said, “ I will cause the im prisoned sentient beings
in SravastT to be freed quickly, those w h o arc about to be killed to be saved, and
those w h o are frightened to becom e fearless•”
Bodhisattva A dorned w ith Eloquence said, “ I will cause all the sentient
beings in SravastT w h o see me to obtain eloquence, so that they can exchange
questions and answers in w onderful verse.”
Bodhisattva N o D eluded Deeds said, “I will cause the sentient beings in
SravastT w h o see m e to have no delusive views and to attain suprem e enlighten­
m ent w ithout fail.n
Discussing their thoughts in this manner, the eight Sravakas and the eight
Bodhisattvas arrived at the gate o f SravastT.
A t that time, K ing Prasenajit’s daughter, nam ed Pure Giving, was living in
the city. She was extraordinarily beautiful, though only eight years old. It was the
eighth day o f the sccond m onth, the day on w hich the star Pusya3 appeared.
C arrying a bottle o f w ater in her hand, she w en t o u t o f the city together w ith five
h undred brahm ins to bathe the deva-image. W hen the five hundred brahm ins saw
the m onks standing outside th e city gate, they all considered th e sight inauspicious.
T h en the oldest o f the five hu n d red brahm ins, a m an nam ed B rahm a w h o was one
h undred tw en ty years old, told Pure Giving, “These m onks are standing outside
the gate. This is inauspicious; w e had better go back to the city and n o t m eet4 them.
If w c m eet them , it is n o t good for our sacrificial rites.”
T h ereu p o n Pure Giving spoke in verse to the brahmin;

“These m en are all passionless,

A n d m o st w o rth y o f praise.
T h ey can w ash aw ay all evils
From vast num bers o f sentient beings.
T hese m en are pure and imm aculate,
For th ey th o ro u g h ly k n o w the four noble truths;
B u t followers o f w ro n g paths are impure,
Shrouded in delusion and ignorance.
Innum erable rewards will accrue
T o those w h o m ake offerings to
T he H onored O n e am ong gods and men,
T he field o f blessings.
W hatever is planted in this field
Will yield an inexhaustible harvest
 O n E m ptin ess

In the three realms.

T h e Buddha, pure and pcrfcct in discipline,
Rises unsullied from the m undane mire.
H e lives in the w orld as a skillful healer,
Curing and saving sick sentient beings.
In the w orld, the B uddha is supreme;
H e is the king o f all D harm as,
A nd these m en arc the Buddha's so n s?
Som e have attained Arhatship;
O thers perform the Bodhisattvas1 deeds.
H o w can the wise avoid them?
Those w h o perform such wonderful deeds
Deserve the acclaim o f the world.
T hese wise m en have long practiccd giving.
Brahmacarin, respect them,
A nd surely all will go well.
Let us'praisc these m en
W ho arc en d o w ed w ith a superior appearance.
Pure in mind, they arc our cxccllent fields o f blessings.
Brahmacarin, believe m y w ords,
A nd you will be joyful and free o f w o rry .”

T he [oldest] brahm acarin said to Pure Giving in verse:

“D o n o t think like a fool or an idiot!

Shun sramanas' w h en perform ing sacrificial rites.
A seeker o f happiness should not com c elose
T o one w h o is tonsured and dressed in a m onastic robe.
Y our parents will n o t approve o f this,
A nd we, too, feel sham e for you.
If you intend to give them things,
T h at is also not auspicious.
Please, respect not these m o n k s.”

Pure Giving said to the brahmacarin in verse:

“W ere I to fall to a miserable realm,

M y parents, retinue, wealth, jewels,
O r even m y o w n courage and health
Could not save me.
Except for these m en o f aw esom e virtue,
W ho could rescue me?
 D isc o u rse on R eady E lo q u e n c e 77

T o honor the Buddha, D harm a, and Sarhgha,

I will give up life and limb. ：
T h e re is b u t one path to follow:
T o venerate the Three Jewels. ”

T h en the [elderly] brahmacarin asked Pure Giving, “ You have never seen the
B uddha or the Sariigha, n o r have you heard the D harm a. H o w can you have such
faith in them ?”
P u re G iving replied to the brahmacarin, “ Seven days after I was born, as I
lay on a gold-legged bed in the lofty palace, I saw five hundred gods flying in the
air, praising the coundcss merits o f the Buddha, the Dharm a, and the Sarhgha. I
heard their every w ord. T hen a god, w ho had never seen the Buddha or the Sarhgha
or heard the D harm a, asked the other gods, ‘W hat is the B uddha like?’ Perceiving
m y o w n thoughts, and w ishing to give jo y to the god w ho had asked the ques­
tion, the other gods answered in verse:

‘T h e hair o f the B uddha is reddish-blue,

Clean, glossy, and curling to the right.
His face, like a full m oon, is the color
O f a hundrcd-pctalled lotus flower.
T he sn o w -w h ite single hair b etw een his eyebrows
Spirals to the right;
T o all it is delightful to behold.
His brow s curvc over his eyes,
Like black bees surrounding blue lotus flowers.
His jaw s are like those o f a lion;
His eyes rove like those o f a king o f cattlc;
His lips are the color o f a bright red gourd;
His teeth are w hite, elose, even,
As orderly as a line o f flying gccse.
His tongue is so broad arid long,
It could cover his face.
H e speaks w ith pcrfect clarity;
His voicc gives jo y to all w h o hear it.
It resembles th e song o f a peacock,
A swan, a lute o f lapis lazuli,
A kinnara's bell, a kalavinka bird,6
A cuckoo, a jivajivaka bird,7
O r a musical instrum ent of any kind.
His roar is like that o f a lion; 1
H e soundly refutes all argum ents
78 O n E m ptin ess

A nd cradicatcs all defilements.

His truthful words shatter every w ro n g view.
Encirclcd by an assembly,
H e can resolve all queries and doubts.
N ev er erroneous, but gentle and flexible,
H e gladdens and convinccs the audicncc.
Steering d e a r o f the tw o extremes,
Corrcctly he tcachcs the middle way.
H e speaks in an cvcr-plcasant voicc,
T o the delight o f all w h o hear him;
H e n ev er flatters or distorts,
A nd from his spccch cach hearer
Derives an understanding o f his own.
T he B u d d h a’s w ords arc adorned w ith w isdom ,
Like a garland w o v e n o f w onderful flowers.
His ncck is round;
His arms arc long and straight;
His palms arc flat and d ea rly m arked w ith whccl-signs;
His fingers, long and slender,
H ave coppcr-colorcd nails.
T he B u d d h a’s bod y is sturdy,
Balanced, and well-rounded;
His waist is slender,
Incurving like that o f a lion;
His navel, deep and round.
His male organ is rctractcd,
Like that o f a stallion.
Like a m ountain o f gold, his body
' Is as robust as that o f a dragon or an elephant.
From cach pore a hair grows,
Pointing upw ard and spiraling to the right.
He has even hipbones and ealves like a dccr’s.
His ankles gently curvc，w ith bones firmly joined.
His soles are fully rounded and d ea rly marked
W ith wheels o f a thousand spokes.’

“ Brahmacarin, at that time, the gods in the air praised the Tathagata thusly.
T h ey also said, ‘T h e Tathagata, the W o rth y O ne, ferries all sentient beings over to
the o th er shore. H e protects th em w ith great kindness and compassion, like a great
king o f healers. H e is n o t affcctcd by aversion or attachment, ju st as a lotus is not
 D isc o u rse on R ead y E lo q u e n c e 79

soiled by the m ire fro m w hich it grow s. W hat w c have m entioned is only an
insignificant fraction o f the m erits o f the W orld-H onored O n e .，
4tBrahm acarin, seven days after I w as born, I heard o f the true merits o f the
W o rld -H o n o red One. From that time on, I have not slept, and I have n o t felt at all
the stir o f desire, hatred, or annoyance. From that tim e on, I have not been
attached to m y parents, brothers, sisters, relatives, wealth, treasures, necklaces,
clothes, citics, tow ns, gardens, or pavilions, or even m y ow n body and life. I have
been doing b u t one deed: rem aining m indful o f the Buddha. I go to any place
w here the Tathagata is teaching the D harm a, and listen attentively.8 I absorb and
rem em b er all he tcachcs, never missing a single sentence in w ord or in meaning.
Brahmacarin, I see Buddhas, W o rld -H o n o red Ones, day and night. Brahmacarin, I
never get tired o f contem plating the Buddha, never feel satiated w ith hearing the
D harm a, and never becom c w eary of m aking offerings to the Sariigha.”
W hen Pure Giving h ad thus praised the Buddha, the D harm a, an d the Sarh-
gha, all the five hundred brahm ins, including the eldest, Brahm a, b ro ug h t forth
supreme bodhicitta.
Then, Pure Giving got d o w n from her carriage and walked tow ard the
Bodhisattvas and Sravakas. W hen she reached them, she bow ed w ith her head at
the feet o f each one. T hen she approachcd th e Virtuous Sariputra w ith great
respect, and stood before him, saying, “I am a girl; m y intelligence is shallow and
m y afflictions great. I am unrestrained, indulge in m ean things, and am dominated
by devious thoughts. M ay the Virtuous Sariputra, out o f compassion, explain the
subtle, w onderful D harm a for me, so that after hearing it, I m ay have benefit in
the long n ight and experience greater peace and happiness.”
As she was speaking thus, K ing Prasenajit came. H earing Pure G iving’s
w ords, the king asked her, “Y ou lack no pleasures; w h y do you look sad? W h y do
you not sleep, or enjoy the amusem ents o f the w orld?”
K ing Prasenajit then spoke in verse to his daughter:

“You are as fair as a celestial maiden;

After bathing, you anoint yourself,
And put on perfum ed clothes; '
You have necklaces and every prccious ornam ent.
W h y arc you so sad you cannot sleep?
Y our country is rich and replete w ith treasures;
Y o u r parents’ authority is absolute;
W hat troubles you, that you do n o t sleep?
Y ou arc beloved by y o u r kin
A nd adored by the people,
A nd ] am a glorious king.
W hy, then, are you n o t happy?
 O n E m ptiness

W hat have you seen or heard

T h at makes you so melancholy?
O h. w hat is it that you wish?
Please tell m e .”

Thereupon, Pure Giving answered her father in verse:

“Leading a household life,

Y o ur Majesty, do you not feel
T hat the aggregates, elements, and sense-organs9
Are all fragile?
M u n d an e existence is like a magic trick;
Life flees past w ithout a m o m e n t’s pause.
How can one sleep well after taking poison?
How can one be joyful w h e n dying?
How can one expect to live w hile falling from a cliff?
So it is to dwell in the w orld o f appcarancc.
If a person lives am ong serpents,
H o w can he sleep or lust?
T he four elements are like poisonous snakes;
H o w can one derive pleasure from them?
W hen surrounded by enemies, and hungry,
H o w can one be happy?
W hen surrounded by hostile nations,
H o w can you, m y father, be at ease?
Ever sincc I saw the W o rld -H o n o red One,
I resolved to becom c a Buddha.
Y o u r Majesty, never have I seen or heard
T h at a Bodhisattva relaxes his efforts for an instant.’’10

ii

T hen P u re Giving said to Sariputra, “V irtuous one, I w a n t to ask y o u o n e ques­

tion; m ay you take pity on me and explain the answ er to me. T he W orld-H onored
O ne says that you stand first in w isdom . Is this w isdom conditioned or uncondi­
tioned? If it is conditioned, it is illusory and deceptive, not real. If it is an uncondi­
tioned dharma, it does not arise, and a dharm a w hich does not arise docs not
originate. Bccausc it does n o t originate, Virtuous one, y our w isdom docs not
exist.”
 D isc o u r se o n R ea d y E l o q u e n c e 8]

iriputra
矣 was rendered spccchlcss.
T h e Virtuous Maudgalyayana asked Sariputra, "Virtuous one， w h y do you
not answer Pure Giving 、question?”
^ariputrj replied 10 Maudga]yayana, “ This maiden docs not ask about con­
ditioned things. She inquires about the ultimate1 truth.n The ultimate truth is be­
yond spccch. Therefore, I cannot answer in w o rd s."
Then Pure G iving said to M audgalyiyana, “ Virtuous one， the W orld-
Honored O ne says that you stand first in the wielding o f miraculous powers.
Virtuous one, when using your miraculous powers, do you luve scntieni beings in
mind or dharmas in mind? If you have sentient beings in mind, your miraculous
powers cannot be real, bccausc sentient beings arc unreal. If you have dhirmas in
mind, consider that dharmas do not change (by their ultimate nature]. Siacc chey
do not changc, [all dharmas, including your miraculous powers,] arc unattainable;
being unattainable, they arc beyond discriminations.**
The Virtuous Maudgalyayana was al&o rendered specchlcss.
Mahakasyapa asked Maudgalyayana, “ Virtuous one. w h y do you not answer
Pure Giving's question?**
M audgalyiyana replied, "T h is maiden's qucsiion about miraculous powers is
based not on discrimination, but on the Tathagatas 1 enlightenment, which defies
action and discrimination. It cannot be answered in words.**
Then Pure G ivin g said co M ahikaiyapa. ^Virtuous one* the W orld-Honored
O ne says that you stand first in the practice o f austerities. Virtuous one. after
attaining the eightfold liberation, i f you acccpt— or for an insunt think o f acccpt-
ing一 offerings from sentient beings out o f compassion for them, how do you
intend to repay such favors? D o you repay them with your body, or with your
mind? If you [intend to] repay them with your body, you ceruinly cannot do so*
for the body is neutral b y nature, and is not different from grasses, trees, walls,
tiles, or gravel. If you (intend to| rcfuy them with your mind, you also cannot do
so, for the mind changcs incessantly from moment to moment. Besides body 2nd
mind， (here is only the uucondiuoncd. If 2 W chat remains is the unconditioned,
who repays chc favors?**
Mahakasyapa was also rendered spccchlcss.
The Virtuous Subhuci asked Mahakasyapa, “Why do you not answer Pure
Giving's question?**
Mahakasyapa replied to Subhuti, “ This maiden's question is abouc the reality
o f dharmas. Ic cannot be answered in w ords.”
Then Pure G iving said to Subhuti. ''Virtuous one* the World-Honored O ne
says (hat you stand first among those who do not engage in disputes. l)oc& the
practicc o f nondisputation have the nature o f cxistcncc or the nature o f suchncss? If
you say it has the nature o f suchncss, consider that suchncss is charactcmcd by
neither arising nor cessation. What is charaacrizcd by neither arising nor ccssicion
cannot be difTcrcniiatcd. 12 What cannoc be diffcrcntiaccd is suchncss itself. What is
suchness itself is devoid o f action. What is devoid o f action is beyond spccch. What
82 O n E m pt in e ss

is beyond spccch is inconccivablc. Whai is inconccivablc transccnds expression. If

you u y non disputation has the nature o f cxistcncc, consider chat cxistcncc is by
nature illusory and dcccptivc. What is illusory and dcccptivc is not pracuccd by
saints,”
Th e Virtuous Subhuti was also rendered spccchlcss.
Purnamaitrayampucra asked Subhuti, “ W hy do you not answer Pure G iv ­
ing's question?"
Subhud replied to Purnamaitrayaniputra, MIt stands to reason that I should
say nothing in reply, bccausc keeping silent is my only delight. Furthermore, this
maiden's question is about the Dharma which is apart from play-words. Whatever
answer 1 may give will be wrong. T o say nothing about the nature o f Dharma is
the practicc o f nondispucation. ”
Then Pure G iving said 10 Purnamaitriyaniputra, ^Virtuous one, the W orld-
Honored One says that you stand first among the Dharma tcachcrs. When you
tcach, do you tcach the doctrinc that there arc states and realms, or the doctrinc
that there arc no states or realms? I f you (cach t h i t 【here arc s u m and realms, you
are rhc same as an ordinary person. W hy? Bccausc only ordinary people tcach that
there arc states and realms. In this regard, you do noc go beyond the doctrinc o f an
ordinary person. If |you tcach] the abscncc o f states and realms* (you tcach chat)
nothing exists. I f nothing exists, how can you be callcd the ftrsr among the Dharma
tcachcrs?M
Purnamaitrayaniputru, too, was rendered spccchlcss.
Th e Virtuous Revata asked Purnamaitrayaniputra, “ W h y do you not answer
Pure G iving's question?'*
Purnamaitriyaniputra replied to Revata, “ This maiden docs noi ask about
conditioned things, but about the ultimate truth. The ultimate truth ss beyond
spccch. Therefore, there is no w ay to answer.”
Then Pure G iving said to R cvau . “ Virtuous one, the W orld-Honored One
says that you scand tirsc among those w h o practicc meditation. When you practicc
m cdiution, do you rd y on your mind or not? If you rely on your mind to enter
meditation, then your mcdiution is unreal, sincc your mind is unreal* like an
illusion. If you enter meditation without relying on your mind, then such external
objccts as grasses, trees, branches* leaves, flowers* and fruits should also be able to
achicvc mcdiution. W hy? Bccausc they too have no m ind."
Th e Virtuous Revata was aho rendered spccchlcss.
The Virtuous Aniruddhi asked Revata* MVirtuous onc« why do you not
answer Pure G ivin g's question?**
Revata replied to Aniruddha* “This maiden's question belongs in chc Bud­
dha's domain. A Sravaka cannot answer her 广
Pure Giving u id further. MArc the Dharma o f Buddhas and (he Dharma o f
Sravakas different? I f they were different, then (he unconditioned would be split
into tw o. All saints and sages practicc ihc unconditioned. An unconditioned dharma
docs not arise. I f it docs not arise, it is not duaKstic. If it is not dual istic, it is
 D is c o u r s e on R e a d y E lo q u e n c e 83

suchncss icsclf, for suchncss is not dualistic. Therefore, Virtuous Rcvata. how can
you say that?**
Then Pure G ivin g said to Aniruddha, wVirtuous one. the W orld-Honored
One says ch^t you stand first among those w ho have (he dcva-cyc. Virtuous one， is
an objcct seen with the dcva^ryc existent or nonexistent? If you regard what you
see is existent, then you take the view o f etemalism. If you regard what you see as
nonexistent, then you take the view o f nihilism. Apart from the tw o extremes,
you see nothing.n
Th e Virtuous Aniruddha was also rendered spccchlcss.
The Virtuous Ananda asked Aniruddha, “Virtuous one, w hy do you not
answer Pure G ivin g 's question?*"
Aniruddha replied to Ananda, **This maiden's question is aimed at destroy­
ing all arbitrary (crms; therefore, it cannot be on&wercd in arbitrary terms.”
Then Pure Giving said to Ananda, “Virtuous one, the W orld-Honored O ne
says that you stand first among the learned. Is your knowledge thit o f the real
meaning o f things, or that o f words? If it is knowledge o f the real meaning o f
things， consider that the real meaning is beyond spccch. What is beyond spccch
cannot be known through the auditory consciousncss. What cannot be known
through the auditory consciousncss cannot be expressed by spccch. If your knowl­
edge is that o f words, |it is meaningless, for) the W orld-Honored One says that
one should rely on the ultimate meaning o f 2 discourse, not on mere words.
Therefore* Virtuous Ananda, you arc not learned, nor do you understand the
ultimate meaning.”
The Virtuous Ananda» too, was rendered spccchless.
Dharma Princc Manjusri asked the Virtuous Ananda, ^Virtuous one* w h y
do you not answer Pure G ivin g's question?”
Ananda answered, "T h is maiden asks about the lemming which has nothing
to do with words; therefore, ic cannot be explained b y words. She inquires about
equality. Equality is not the mind, bccausc it has nothing to do with mental
functions. This doctrine is beyond those in the stage o f learning;13 h ow can 1 &4y
anything about it in reply? It is in the domain o f the other shore reachcd by
T a th ig a u s, the Dharma Kings.**

111
Then Pure G ivin g said to the Dharma Princc Manjusri, “ The W orld-Honored One
says that you stand Hrsc am ong the Bodhisattvas o f profound understanding. Is
your understanding profound becausc you understand the profundity o f the twelve
links o f dependent origination or bccause you understand the profundity o f the
ultimate truth?14 If ic is bccausc you understand the profundiiy o f the twelve links
o f dependent originanon, consider that no sentient being can fathom the profundity
84 O n £MKriNii$$
o f ihc twelve links o f dependent origination.IS W hy? Bccausc the twelve links o f
dependent origination neither com c nor go and cannot be known b y the visual,
auditory, olfactory, gustatory, uctilc, or m enu] consciousnesses. The c w d v c links
o f dependent origination arc not activc phenomena. If your undcrsunding is pro­
found bccausc you understand the profundity o f the ultimate truth, consider that
the profundity o f the ultimate truth U no profundity, nor is there anyone to
apprehend it•”
M anjuin said to Pure G iving, MM y understanding is |said to be) profound
bccause |I know] the profundity o f the beginning point o f ill things.**
Pure G iving said to Manjusri, “ The beginning point o f all things is not 2
point; therefore, your knowledge is nonknowlcdgt.**
Manjusri said to Pure G iving, MJt is bccausc the inapprehensible can be
realized by nonknowlcdgc that 1 can speak o f (he beginning point o f all things/*
Pure G iving said to Manjusri, **Thc inapprehensible defies spccch; it tran­
scends the means o f spccch and nothing can be said 之bout it.M
Manjusri said to Pure Giving, “ What is said is said in arbitrary words.**
Pure G ivin g said to Manjusrl, “ T h e enlightenment o f Buddhas transccnds
words and spccch, hcnce it is inexpressible. **
Then Pure Giving said to Bodhisattva N o Deluded Views, "Good man, you
said, *Whcn \ rcach ^ravasd, I will causc everything seen by the sentient beings in
the city w h o deserve supreme enlightenment to becomc 2 Buddha-imagc. and in
this w a y 1 will om $c them to actaiit supreme enlightenment without fai!/ When
you see the T ach ig ^ u , do you see him by his physical body or by his Dharm a-
body? If you see him by his physical body, then you do not sec the Buddha, for
the W orld-Honored One says, 'Those w ho seek me by form or sound hold w rong
vie w s;16 they do not [really] see m e / If you see the Tathag^u by his D h arnu-body,
Iyou do not see him, either, for| the Dharm a-body is invisible. W hy? Th e Ph arm a-
body is beyond the reach o f vision and hearing, and is intangible; therefore, it
cannot be seen or heard."
Bodhisattva N o D duded V iew s was rendered spccchlcss.
Bodhisattva Prccious Form asked Bodhisattva N o Deluded Views* “ G ood
man, w h y do you not answer Pure G ivin g's question?**
Bodhisattva N o Deluded Views replied. **Purc Giving ^sks about chc Dhartru
apart from entity. The Dharma apart from entity is inexpressible. Therefore, ( do
not give an answ er.M
Pure G iving said. “ Good man. I do not ask you about the [Pharma apart
from entity. T h e Dharma apart from entity cannoc be puc into a question. When
you have completed your learning, you will be able to answer my question with­
out hindrance .*117
Then Pure G iving said to Bodhisattva Prccious Form, “ G o o d man, you said,
'W hen I r « c h ^rivastl, I w ill cause prodigious quantkics o f the seven treasures 10
appear in the houses o f all ihc people in SravastT, regardless o f ciscc/ Is your
thought o f giving treasures to people defiled with atuchm cnt or not? If it is dcfiicd
 D isc o u rse on R ead y E lo q u e n c e 85

w ith attachment, you are the same as an ordinary person. W hy? Bccause ordinary
people have attachment. If there is no attachment, there is no giving o f treasures.”
B odhisattva Precious Form was rendered speechless.
Then, Pure Giving said to Bodhisattva E x em pt from Miserable Realms,
“G o od m an, you said, ‘W hen I reach Sravasti, I will causc the sentient beings in
the city w h o are destined to fall to the miserable planes o f existence [after death] to
undergo slight sufferings in their present lives [instead] and be liberated quickly.'
N o w , the Tathagata says that karmas are inconceivable. Can inconccivable karmas
be eliminated quickly? T o say that th ey can be elim inated contradicts the T atha-
gata’s w ords. If th ey cannot [even] be know n, th en h o w can you cause the people
to suffer slight pain and have their karmas eliminated quickly? If you could elimi­
nate a karm a, you w ould be the m aster o f a masterless dharm a [i.e., karma]; you
w ould also be capable o f n o t eliminating it.5,18
Bodhisattva E x em p t from Miserable Realms said to Pure Giving, “By the
pow er o f m y vow , I can cause the people to suffer less for their karm as and to have
their karm as eliminated quickly.”
Pure Giving said to E x em p t from Miserable Realms, “All dharm as are such­
ncss by nature; they cannot be affectcd by the p o w er o f a v o w .”
B odhisattva E x em p t from Miserable Realms, too, was rendered speechless.
Then, Pure Giving said to Bodhisattva Free from All Covers, “G o o d man,
you said, ‘I will causc the sentient beings in the city o f Sravasti to completely rid
themselves o f the five covers.’ Y ou think that, after entering dhyana, you can
cause the sentient beings n o t to be enveloped in the five covcrs. W hen you are in
dhyana, is it you or others w h o achieve freedom? If it is you w h o achieve freedom,
you cannot im part it to others, as no such dharm a is accessible to another. Then,
h ow can you rem ove the five covers o f others w h en you enter dhyana? If it is
others w h o achicvc freedom, then you cannot benefit th em at all.”
B odhisattva Free from All Covers said to Pure Giving, “ I can do that be­
cause I put kindness first .， ，
Pure Giving said to Bodhisattva Free from All Covers, “All Buddhas prac-
ncc kindness. G ood man, is there any Buddha w h o is n o t w orried about the five
covers of sentient beings? H ow ever, there still arc sentient beings afflicted by the
[five] covers in som e B uddha-lands.” 19
Bodhisattva Free from All Covers was rendered spccchlcss.
T h en Pure Giving said to Bodhisattva Avalokitcsvara, “G ood man, you
、aid，'I will causc the im prisoned sentient beings in the city o f Sravasti to be freed
quickly, those w h o are about to be killed to be saved, and those w h o arc fright­
ened to becom e fearless.’ N ow , concerning fear [and fearlessness, ctc.], do you
cling to those ideas or not? If you do, [you are not different from | an ordinary
person, w h o also clings to them . Therefore, this cannot be. If you do not cling to
these ideas, you cannot give [the people fearlessness]. If you cannot give them
fearlessness, h o w can you rem ove [fear] from them ?”
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara was rendered spccchlcss.
86, O n E m ptin ess

Bodhisattva A dorned w ith Eloquence asked Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara,

“G o od man. w hy do you not answ er Pure G iving’s question?”
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara replied, “This m aiden does n o t ask about things
that arise a n d ccasc; therefore, I can give no answ er.”
Pure Giving asked Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, “Can one ask about things
th.n neither arise n o r ccasc?”
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara replied to Pure Giving, “C oncerning w h at neither
arises nor ceascs, there is no w o rd or specch.”
Pure Giving said to Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, “W here there arc n o w ords,
rhc wise ones coin arbitrary w ords w ith o u t attachment. Just as D harm a-nature is
unobstructed, so the wise ones are not obstructed by w o rd s.”
T h en Pure Giving said to Bodhisattva A dorned w ith Eloquence, “ G ood
man, you said, ‘I will cause the sentient beings in the city o f SravastI w h o see me
to obtain eloquence so that th ey can exchange questions and answers in w onderful
verses.’ G o od m an, conccrning this eloquence you intend to give, docs it arise
from awareness [or from passion]? If it arises from awareness, it is not quicscent,
as all conditioned dharm as arise from awareness and watchfulness. If it arises from
passion, then w h a t you give is illusory•”
B odhisattva A dorned w ith Eloquence said to Pure (jiving, “This was m y
v o w w hen I first b ro u g h t forth bodhicitta: I wished that all those w ho saw me
w ould obtain cloqucncc so that th ey could exchange questions and answ ers in
m arvelous verses.”
Pure G iving asked Bodhisattva A dorned w ith Eloquence, “ G ood man, do
you still have w ith you the v o w that you m ade w hen you first b ro u g h t forth
bodhicitta? If you do, you entertain a view o f eternalism. If you do not, you
cannot give eloquence to people. Therefore, your wish is useless.”
Bodhisattva A dorned w ith Eloquence was rendered speechless.
Then, Pure Giving said to Bodhisattva N o Deluded Deeds, “G o od man, you
said, ‘I will causc the sentient beings in SravastI w h o see me to have no delusive
views and to attain suprem e enlightenm ent w itho u t fail.’ Does this enlightenm ent
exist or not? If it exists, it is a conditioned enlightenm ent, and you hold an extreme
view. If it does n o t exist, it is illusory, and you hold an extrem e view ju st the
same ’，
Bodhisattva N o D eluded D eeds20 replied to Pure Giving, “T h e p roper nam e
for bodhi is w isd o m .”
Pure Giving asked Bodhisattva N o Deluded Deeds, “D oes this w isdom arise
or not? If it arises, it is not the product o f proper contem plation but a conditioned
awareness k n o w n to ordinary people. If it does n o t arise, for that reason it cannot
exist; if it does n o t exist, it cannot be distinguished [as suprem e enlightenment].
T here are no such distinctions as the bodhi of Bodhisattvas, the bodhi o f Sravakas,
the bodhi o f Pratyekabuddhas, and the bodhi o f Tathagatas. O rd in ary people
discriminate about bodhi, w hile the wise do n o t.”
Bodhisattva N o D eluded Deeds was rendered spccchless.
 D isc o u rse on R eady E lo q u e n c e 87

Then, the V irtuous Subhuti said to the other virtuous Sravakas and the great
Bodhisattvas, “ Virtuous ones, w e had better go back. Wc need n o t go into Sra-
vastl to beg for food. Why? W hat Pure Giving says is the D harm a-food o f the
wise. T o d a y w c can enjoy D harm a-food and do without a m eal."
Pure Giving said to Subhuti, “ It is said that all dharm as are devoid of
superiority or inferiority. A m o n g such dharmas, for what do you go begging?
V irtuous one, the doctrinc o f transcending play-w ords is the practicc o f a m onk.
D o not delight in play-w ords. T he doctrine o f transcending play-w ords is the
doctrine o f nonreliancc, beyond the dom ain o f those w h o rely on things. Saints
and sages practice it w ith o u t regression.”
T h en the eight great Sravakas; the eight great Bodhisattvas; the five hundred
brahm ins, including the eldest, Brahma; Pure Giving; King Prasenajit; and others
w ent together to the Buddha. W hen they arrived, they bow ed d o w n w ith their
heads at the B u d d h a’s feet, circum am bulatcd him three times to the right, w ith ­
drew to one side, and sat dow n. Pure Giving m ade seven m ore circum am bula-
nons, bo w ed d o w n w ith her head at the B u dd h a’s feet once again, stood w ith her
palms joined, and asked the Buddha in verse:21

“I ask the Peerless, H o n o re d O ne,

T he W o rth y O n e o f infinite renown,
T he O n e w ho bestows the ambrosial joy:
W h at is th e Bodhisattva-path?
Seated under a bodhi-tree,
H o w can one subdue demons, the to rtu re rs? . . .
M ay the M o st Compassionate, H onored O ne
Explain the practices compatible w ith b o d h i . . . .
H o w does one cultivate
Pure, wonderful, superior samadhis?
I lo w can one w h o practices the D h arm a
Acquirc m iraculous powers?
N o w I entreat the W orld-H onored O n e
T o explain to us the right p ra c tic e .. . .
H o w can one acquire excellent fe a tu re s,. . .
And be endow ed w ith w ealth and w i s d o m ? . . .
H ow can one learn to recall '
T he past lives o f self and ot he r s ? . . .
T he W orld-H onored One is omniscient
And know s the past, present, and future.
M ay the m o st wise, H o n o red O n e o f the W orld
Explain the practices o f a Bodhisattva."
88 O n E m p tin ess

IV

T hen the W orld -H o n o red O ne praised Pure Giving, saying, “Excellent, excellent!
In order to give peace, happiness, and benefit to sentient beings, and extend pity to
hum ans and gods, you ask the Tathagata questions about the practices o f great
Bodhisattvas. Listen attentively and think well about w h at I say. I will explain the
various answers to y o u .”
Pure G iving and the w hole assembly said in unison, “Yes, w e will listen
w ith pleasure.”
T he W orld -H o n o red One then said, “If a Bodhisattva achieves four things,
he can conquer dem ons. W hat are the four?
(1) N o t to resent or envy others’ gains;
(2) n o t to sow discord am on g people;
(3) to persuade as m an y sentient beings as possible to plant good roots; and
(4) to be kind to all beings.，’22
T o repeat this doctrine, the W o rld-H onored O n e spoke in verse:

“Be free o f resentm ent and envy;

Sow n o t discord am ong others;
Tcach m an y sentient beings
T o plant roots o f virtue;
Cultivate a heart o f great kindness
T h at extends to all in the ten directions—
O n e w h o so practices can subdue d em o n s.” . . .

The B uddha continued, “If a Bodhisattva achieves four things, he can ac­
quire samadhis. W hat are the four?
(1) T o abhor saiiisara;
(2) constantly to delight in solitude;
(3) to strive perpetually for progress; and
(4) to accomplish his undertakings skillfully.
T o repeat this doctrine, the W orld-H onored O n e spoke in verse:

“T o dislike all form s o f rebirth;

T o live alone, like [the single horn]
O f a rhinoceros;
T o be vigorous, as a good person should be;
A nd to accomplish o n e ’s endeavors—
， T h e wise w h o can achieve these four superb things
A re close to bodhi.
 D isc o u rse on R eady E lo q u e n c e 89

O n e w h o seeks the suprem e D harm a

A nd lives w ith a tranquil m ind
C an acquirc various samadhis
A nd realize the suprem e bodhi,
W hich is in the dom ain o f Buddhas.， .

T he B uddha continued, “Pure G iving, if a Bodhisattva achieves four things,

he can acquire the p o w er to perform miracles. W hat arc the four?
(1) T o feel lightness in body;
(2) to feel lightness in mind;
(3) to be attached to nothing; and
(4) to regard the four elements as space.”
T hen the W o rld-H onored O n e spoke in verse to repeat this doctrine:

“T h e wise are light in m ind

As well as light in body.
T hey arc dctached from everything …
A n d regard the four elements as space.
H av in g achieved these four things,
B y their pow er to be anyw here
A t will, instantaneously,
T h ey can appear
In billions o f lands in space,
A nd m ake offerings to all the Buddhas there •”

T h e B uddha continued, “Pure Giving, if a Bodhisattva achieves four things,

he will obtain exquisite features. W hat are the four?
(1) T o eradicate the filth o f passions and avoid actions o f anger;
(2) to enjoy cleaning the stupas and temples o f Buddhas, and offering them
beautiful ornam ents;
(3) to m aintain a respcctablc deportm ent, keep the prccepts at all times, and
give greetings first; and
(4) n o t to m o ck D h arm a tcachers, b u t to regard them as W orld-H onored
O n e s .”
T h e W o rld -H o n o red O n e spoke in verse to repeat this doctrinc:

“Be n o t angry w ith others,

A nd renounce im pure deeds.
Cleanse the temples o f the W orld-H onored Ones,
A nd respectfully offer th em precious decorations.
90 O n E m p tiness

A lw ays observe the pure prcccpts,

A nd be the first to give greetings.
H inder not the D harm a teachcrs,
But rcspect them as if they were Buddhas.
If you perform these four good actions,
You are calk'd a valiant one,23
A nd will have the m ost cxccllent features,
T o the delight o f all w h o see y o u .” . • .

T he B uddha continued, "Pure Giving, if a Bodhisattva achieves four things,

he will acquire great w isdom . W hat arc the four?
(1) N o t to beg ru d g e the D h arm a to others;
(2) to explain to others how to eliminate faults, so that they may be free of
misgivings or regrets;
(3) to persuade those w ho strive hard for progress not to stop their exertions;
and
(4) to delight in practicing the doctrinc o f em ptiness.”
Then, to repeat this doctrine, the W orld-H onored O n e spoke in verse:

"Be n o t miserly w ith the true Dharma;

Teach others, and thus rem ove
T heir misgivings and regrets;
Give constant guidance to sentient beings;
Follow the practiccs o f emptiness
T au g h t by the Buddhas.
A wise person w h o enjoys perform ing these four deeds
Can gain^wisdom and renowh'N 、
U nderstanding well the w ords of Buddhas,
H e will soon becom c an H onored O n e
A m o n g hum ans and g o d s.”

The B uddha continued, “Pure Giving, if a Bodhisattva achieves four things,

he will be able to recall his o w n past lives and those o f others. W hat arc the four?
(1) T o help forgetful people to recall w h at they have learned and recited;
(2) always to speak in a pleasant voice, giving others joy;
(3) always to give the D harm a, w ith o u t ncglect; and
(4) to enter dhyanas w ith skill, as the boy Sudhana does,24 so that one m ay be
liberated from sarhsara and proceed tow ard n irv a n a /5
T he W o rld -H o n o red One spoke in verse to repeat this doctrine:
 D isc o u rse on R eady E lo q u e n c e 91

“T o causc others to rem em ber w h a t th ey forget,

T o speak always in a pleasant voicc,
T o be tireless in teaching the Dharm a,
A nd to cultivate dhyanas constantly—
One who accomplishes these four things
Will be able to recall events
Countless kalpas in the past,
A nd soon apprehend th e B u d d h a’s d o m ain .” . . •

T hen Pure Giving said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored One, I shall follow
all the B odhisattvas1 practices you have taught. If I fail to follow even one o f the
practices that the W orld -H o n o red O n e has taught, then I will be deceiving the
Buddhas now teaching the D h arm a in the ten directions•， ’
T hereupon, the Virtuous M audgalyayana said to Pure Giving, “H o w dare
you m ake a lion’s roar in front o f the Buddha! D o you n o t k n o w that the practices
o f a Bodhisattva are difficult to follow? N o one can ever attain suprem e enlight­
enm ent in a female f o rm .”
Pure G iving said to the Virtuous M audgalyayana, “ N o w I will m ake a
sinccrc declaration in the prcscncc o f the Buddha: if I shall unfailingly becom e a
Buddha, a Tathagata, a Perfectly Enlightened One free o f clinging, a W orld-
H ono red O ne, a Tcacher o f G ods and Hum ans, then by virtue o f m y sincere
declaration, m ay the billion-w orld universe quake in the six ways, w ith o u t dis­
turbing the sentient beings therein. If all m y life I can follow the Bodhisattvas ，
practices that the W orld -H o n o red O n e has taught, m ay cclcstial flowers show er
from the sky, m ay hundreds o f thousands o f instrum ents give forth music spon-
raneously, and m ay I be changed from a girl into a boy o f sixteen, all because o f
this sincerc declaration.”
As soon as Pure Giving m ade this sincere declaration, the billion-world
universe quaked in the six ways, celestial flowers show ered fro m the sky, h u n ­
dreds o f thousands o f celestial instrum ents gave forth music spontaneously, and
Pure G iving changed from a girl into a boy o f sixteen.
T h en the Virtuous M audgalyayana bared his right shoulder, knelt on his
right krec, joined his palms tow ard the Buddha, and said, “ W orld-H onored O ne,
now I pay hom age to all the B u d d h a’s Bodhisattvas, w hether th ey are novices or
already at th e bodhi-site. H o w marvelous, W o rld-H onored O ne, th at this maiden
can have such aw esom e merits and miraculous pow ers to m ake great declarations
and fulfil them right aw ay!”
T h e B uddha said to M audgalyayana, “ So it is, so it is, ju st as y o u say. All
Bodhisattvas, w hether th ey are novices or already at the bodhi-site, are w o r ­
shipped by gods and hum ans as the stupas and tem ples o f the Buddha. Surpassing
all Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, they are the unexcelled fields o f blessings for
hum ans and g o d s.”25
92 O n E m ptin ess

After that, the W orld-H onored O n e smiled graciously and, as all Buddhas
do w h en th ey smile, em itted from his m o u th green, yellow, red, w hite, violet, and
crystalline lights. T h e lights illuminated innumerable, boundless Buddha-lands,
outshining the brilliance o f the palaces o f gods and dem ons, and the lights o f suns
and moons. T hen the lights returned and entered the top o f the B u d d h a’s head.
Seeing this, the V irtuous A nanda rose from his seat, adjusted his robe, bared
his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms tow ard the Buddha,
and spoke in verse:

“In a voicc like that o f dragons, gods, or Brahma;

Like a lion’s roar, the song o f a kalavirika bird,
O r a peal o f thunder,
You eradicate desire, hatred, and ignorance,
Giving jo y to those w ho hear.
M ay the O n e w h o has the ten powers
Explain the cause o f his smile.
T he six quakes have disturbed n o t a soul,
And the rain o f celestial flowers
Brought jo y to all w h o beheld it.
T he W o rld-H onored O n e vanquishes
Followers o f the deviant paths,
Just as a lion subdues jackals.
M ay the W orld-H onored O n e tell us
T h e reason w h y he smiles.
T he brilliancc o f a trillion suns, m oons, and pearls;
T h e brilliancc o f gods, dragons, and B rahm a—
All are outshone by the pure lights
Em anating from the m o u th o f Sakyamuni Buddha.
T h e [single] curled hair between his eyebrows
Is as soft and impeccable
As a cclcstial garment,
A nd shines like a'jade-w hite26 moon.
T he w hite hair glows w ith a light
Illuminating countless Buddha-lands.
M ay the Buddha explain the reason for this light.
T he W orld-H onored O n e ’s teeth arc spotless, clean,
Even, well-aligned, close, and w hite as snow.
From the B u d d h a’s m o u th emanate lights:
G reen, yellow, red, w hite, violet, and crystalline.
 D isc o u rse on R ead y E lo q u e n c e 93

Worlds m ay decay,
A nd suns and m oons m ay fall;
H eaven and earth m ay be filled,
Leaving no space to move;
Fire m ay change into water,
A nd w ater into fire;
And the great ocean may dry up—
But the T athagata’s w ords
Will remain forever true.
If all the sentient beings
In the ten directions
Became Pratyekabuddhas at the same instant,
Each w ith millions o f different questions
A ccum ulated through billions o f kalpas;
A nd if th ey came together to the Tathagata
T o question him simultaneously,
Each in a different language,
T he Tathagata could resolve
T heir innum erable doubts,
A nd answ er all their questions
Immediately, in one voice.
T he Supreme, H onored O ne
W ho has achieved w isdom ,
Arrived at the o th er shore,
A dorned him self w ith all-know ing w isdom ,
A nd acquired the thirty-tw o auspicious signs
A nd great, aw esom e merits—
M ay he explain w h y he smiles,
A nd w hose B uddhahood he will prophesy.
This all gods and hum ans wish to hear.
M ay the Tathagata explain w h y he sm iles."

T h en the B uddha asked Ananda, “D id you see Bodhisattva Pure Giving

shake the billion-world universe by her sincerc declaration?”
A nanda replied to the Buddha, “Yes, I did."
T h e B uddha said, “ Since she resolved to attain bodhi, Bodhisattva Pure
Giving has perform ed deeds leading to supreme enlightenm ent for eighty thousand
incalculable kalpas. Bodhisattva Pure Giving had been treading the Bodhisattva-
path for sixty kalpas w hen the D h arm a Prince M anjusri resolved to becom e a
Bodhisattva. Ananda, to m atch the merits and magnificent attributes o f B odhi­
sattva Pure G iving’s [future] Buddha-land, it w ould take all the merits and m agnif­
94 O n E m p tin ess

icent attributes o f the [future] Buddha-lands o f the cighty-six thousand great B o-

dhisartvas, including M anjusri.1,27
Thereupon, the Virtuous M audgalyayana said to Bodhisattva Pure Giving,
’.\ irtuous m aiden,28 you resolved to attain suprem e enlightenm ent long ago. W hy
do y o u not change from a female into a male?”
Bodhisattva Pure G iving said to M audgalyayana, “T he W orld-H onored O n e
savb that you stand first in the achievement o f m iraculous powers. W hy do you
not change from a male into a female?”
T he V irtuous M audgalyayana was rendered speechless.
Bodhisattva Pure Giving said to the Virtuous M audgalyayana, “O n e docs
not attain suprem e enlightenm ent by means o f a female body, n o r a male one.
W hy? B odhi docs n o t com e into being; therefore, it is beyond attainm ent.”29

Then M anjusri, Prince o f the D harm a, said to the Buddha, “H o w extraordinary,

W o rld -H o n o red O ne, that Bodhisattva Pure Giving can understand well the ex­
trem ely profound D h arm a and fulfil all her aspirations by the p o w er o f her vow s!”
T he B uddha told Manjusri, “ It is so, it is so, ju st as y o u say. Bodhisattva
Pure Giving has cultivated the sam adhi o f emptiness30 under six billion Buddhas,
and the Realization o f the N onarising o f D harm as u n d er eight billion Buddhas.
She has asked three billion B uddhas about the profound D harm a. She has offered
clothing, food, and drink to eight billion 13uddhas, and questioned them about the
Samadhi o f the Seal o f Ready Eloquence for Different Occasions.
“Furtherm ore, Manjusri, suppose a good m an or a good w om en, for the
sake o f bodhi, gives aw ay precious treasures enough to fill Buddha-lands as n u ­
m erous as the sands o f the Ganges. His or her merits are no m atch for those o f one
w ho accepts, practices, reads, recites, and circulates this sutra, and explains it
w idely to others. E ven writing d o w n this sutra will result in the highest, suprem e
m erits, let alone practicing it as taught. W hy is this so? Because a person w h o does
so can accept and keep the Bodhisattvas’ practices leading to b o d h i.n
M anjusrl asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored One, what should w e call this
sutra? H o w shall w e uphold it?”
T he B uddha told Manjusrl, “This sutra should be called ‘A Discourse on
Ready E loquence for Different O ccasions,’ or ‘A D iscourse on the D o o r to Sa­
madhi. ' Y ou should uphold it th u s.”
When the B uddha had spoken this sutra, eight trillion sentient beings, in­
cluding gods and hum ans, resolved to pursue suprem e enlightenm ent w ithout
regression.
T h en Bodhisattva A dorned w ith Eloquence asked the Buddha, 4tW orld-
H o n o red O ne, w hen will Bodhisattva Pure Giving attain suprem e enlightenm ent?”
 D isc o u rse on R ead y E lo q u e n c e 95

T h e B uddha told Bodhisattva A dorned w ith Eloqucncc, “G o od man, B o­

dhisattva Pure Giving, after she makes offerings to m ore Buddhas for several
kalpas, will bccom e a B uddha nam ed Tathagata King o f Pure Light, the W orthy
One, the Perfectly Enlightened O ne, the O ne Pcrfcct in Learning and Conduct,
the W ell-Gone O ne, the W orld-K now er, the Unexcelled O ne, the Great Tamer,
the Teacher o f G ods and Humans, the Buddha, the W orld-H onored O ne. H er
[future) w orld will be called Immeasurable M erits and Glories. In it there will be
no Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas. It will be m o re splendidly adorned th an any
cclcstial palacc•”
H earing in person the Tathagata's prophecy o f her attainm ent o f supreme
enlightenm ent, Bodhisattva Pure Giving, her m ind pure, w as overjoyed. She leaped
into the sky to a height o f eight billion palm trees one above another, and em itted
a great light w hich illuminated hundreds o f thousands o f [millions ot] billions o f
Buddha-lands. O v er the W o rld -H o n o re d O ne, the light was transformed into
eighty-four thousand precious canopics embellished w ith various celestial gems. At
that m o m en t, by her im m easurable miraculous powers, Bodhisattva Pure Giving
paid hom age to countlcss Buddhas in the ten directions and offered the canopics to
them. After that, she returned to the B uddha and stood to one side.
After hearing the pro p h ccy o f B uddhahood bestow ed on Bodhisattva Pure
Giving, and seeing her m iraculous feat, the five hu n d red brahm ins, including the
eldest, Brahm a, danced w ith jo y and in unison extolled the Buddha in verse:

“O n e w h o rcspccts the Buddha

Will gain the greatest benefit in the world.
O n e w h o resolves to attain suprem e enlightenm ent
Will becom c a Buddha, w ith the highest w isdom .
Wc did evil in o u r past lives;
Therefore, w e have been b orn
In families w h o hold w ro n g views.
W hen w c saw the B uddha and the Sariigha,
W e uttered abusive w ords against them.
W hen w e saw the w o rth y sons o f the Buddha,
W e said th ey w ere an inauspicious sight.
N o w , w e sincerely repent
Such verbal transgressions.
If w e had n o t seen the Tathagata,
T he M ost H o no red O n e am o n g gods and hum ans,
Wc w ould have rcccivcd the h u m an form in vain
And taken food for hum ans to no avail.
We, together w ith Pure Giving,
W ent o u t to offer sacrifice to the shrine.
96 O n E m p tiness

W hen she saw the B uddha’s sons,

She praised them w ith veneration.
H earing her praise them so,
We reproached h e r as a fool.
T hen w e questioned her,
‘Have you ever seen the B uddha?’
She said in reply,
*Seven days after I was born,
I heard the gods extol the B u d d h a’s n am e .’
H er praises o f the Tathagata
D id n ot differ from the truth;
Thus, upon hearing them ,
W e m ade the suprem e decision
T o seek unexcelled bodhi.
H earing the nam e o f the Buddha)
We were awakened to our past karma.
A t once, we came to salute
T he Savior o f the W orld
A nd to seek the suprem e Dharm a.
After w e m ade hom age to the Buddha,
W e listened to the uncxccllcd D harm a.
W e see that the H o nored Im m ortal am ong hum ans
Has forever parted from all sufferings,
A nd that the D h arm a taught by the Buddha
C an truly deliver worldlings [from samsara].
W e will learn the D harm a,
Because it is unexcelled.
W e will listen to the practices o f a Bodhisattva,
Because w e wish to obtain the Buddha-D harm a.
W e should also follow these practices,
So that w c m ay realize the B uddha’s path.
Y ou have discoursed on the essentials
O f the Bodhisattva-path to emancipation;
We, too, will tread this path
So that w e m ay w in
T he w o rld ’s respect and adm iration•”

K n ow in g their sincere desire, the B uddha smiled graciously. T hereupon

Ananda said to the Buddha, “Please tell us w hy you smile.”
T h e B uddha said to Ananda in verse:
 D isc o u rse on R ead y E lo q u e n c e 97

“All these brahmins, including Brahma,

Will successively, in the same kalpa,
Attain suprem e enlightenment.
In their past lives they have made
Offerings to five hundred Buddhas.
Hereafter, due to their marvelous deeds,
T hey will see billions o f Buddhas.
For eight billion kalpas,
N o adversities will befall them .
In each o f these kalpas,
T h ey will see billions o f Buddhas;
T h en th ey will becom e
Supreme, H o nored Ones am o n g gods and hum ans.
They will have the sam e name, ‘Pure L ight,’
And an identical life span:
E ight billion years.
T h eir lands, too, will be the same,
Each w ith a Sarhgha o f eight billion beings.
T h ey will deliver countless beings;
H aving benefited the w orlds thus,
T hey will enter nirvana,
A nd realize ultimate quiescence•”

When the B uddha had spoken this sutra, Bodhisattva-M ahasattva Pure G iv­
ing, Brahm a, the brahmacarins, and people in the assembly, the five hundred
Bodhisattvas, K ing Prascnajit, the great Sravakas, humans, nonhum ans, and the
eight divisions o f divinities all rejoiced greatly in the B u d dh a’s teaching.

NOTES

1. T h e five covers (see N um erical Glossary).

2. T h e Chinese text reads 定 . Dissension should be noted concerning Prof. G a rm a
C h a n g ’s decision (see C h a p te r 1，note 16) to translate 定 here as d h y a n a ', because tw o o ther
C hinese versions (T aisho 338, p .89; 339, p .98) use 三 昧 ，a transliteration o f ‘sam adhi， ，in the
same place. (S.L.M .)
3. A star in the constellation Cancer.
4. Literally, “see.”
5. T his term usually is reserved for Bodhisattvas, but here it is applied to the group o f
Sravakas a n d Bodhisattvas.
98 O n E m ptin ess

(■). A kalavnika bird is a bird dcscribcd as having a m elodious voicc, and is found in
the Vdllc\'s o f the Himalayas. It is said to sing in the shell before hatching.
A |I\-ajT\aka bird is said to be a bird with tw o heads and a sweet singing tone.
s, This appears to contradict the earlier statem ent that Pure Giving has never seen the
Buddha. How c\-cr, she is evidently speaking here in the sense o f revelation, or seein'g the
B uddha in a psychic state, as is indicated below.
9. Literally, “entrances,” i.e., the six sense-organs and their six objccts. (See N u ­
merical Glossary, “tw elve entrances”).
10. A lternate translation o f this line: “T h a t a Bodhisattva goes astray for an in stant.”
11. See “T h e Inexhaustible W isd om -S tores” (Chapter 9 below), note 13.
12. Literally, “ is equal.”
13. A m o n g the eight Sravakas appearing in this siitra, Ananda was the only one w h o
had n ot attained A rhatship, and so was still in the stage o f learning.
14. Generally speaking, the tw elve links o f dependent origination refer to phenom ena,
and the ultimate truth to noum cna, but since in the ultim ate sense they are n ot different, to
penetrate and fully understand one is to fully realize the other. T he Prajnaparam ita literature
is full o f this kind o f dialogue to foster the com prehension o f nondistinctions within distinc­
tions, and vicc versa, to reveal the deep-rooted clinging to dich o to m y w ithin the m ind, and
to induce devotees to “j u m p ” to a higher plane o f unity or nondistinction. (G.C.)
15. O r: “ Consider that there arc n o sentient beings o r twelve links o f dependent
origination w hich constitute sentient beings.” T h e T ibetan text here is m uch simpler and
m o re dircct: “It it is bccausc the profundity o f dependent generation is profound that y ou are
[said to be] profound, [consider that] there is no dependent generation at all!” (G.C.)
16. Literally, “extrem e v iew s.”
17. H ere is a clear statem ent concerning enlightened beings w h o can answ er any
unexpected o r abstruse question about emptiness, suchness, or the D h a rm a -b o d y w ith o u t the
slightest hesitation or hindrance, as may be witnessed in m an y Zen stories.
18. A lternate translation: "If you could eliminate a karm a, you w o uld be the m aster o f
the masterless dharm as. If a karm a can be eliminated, then it can also not be elim inated.”
T his paragraph points out the absurdity o f eliminating o r not elim inating a karm a, by
quoting the T athagata's statem ent that karm as are inconceivable. N o o n e can be the m aster o f
w hat he does not k n o w . T o eliminate or n ot to eliminate som ething inconceivable is to take a
long, aimless shot in the dark, m aking no sense at all. (S.L.M .)
19. This scntcncc is from a different Chinese version (Taisho 339, p. 102), in w hich
the prcccding question docs not appear.
20. T h e Chinese here reads “N o D eluded V ie w s,” w hich is the nam e o f another
B odhisattva w h o spoke earlier. W e have changed the nam e in accordance w ith the preceding
paragraph.
21. W e have deleted many o f the questions in this section. Som e were not answ ered
in the full Chinese text; answers to others were deleted in our abridgem ent proccss.
■22.''W e have o m itted the restatem ent o f the category (e.g., “These four will enable a
B odhisattva to defeat d e m o n s ”）w hich appears at the end o f cach paragraph.
23. I.e., a great Bodhisattva.
24.' Sudhana is the nam e o f an im p ortant character in the Auatamsaka Sutra. A lthough
this name is the same, it is n ot clear w h e th er it refers to the same character. (G.C.)
25. T h e original text reads: "T h ey are the unexcelled fields o f blessing for all Sravakas
 D isc o u rse on R eady E lo q u e n c e 99

and P r a t y e k a b u d d h a s .H o w e v e r , follow ing tw o different versions (Taisho 338, p. 96; 339,

p. 106), w e have adopted the present translation.
26. Som e varieties o f jade arc pure white.
27. H ere the sutra eulogizes the future B uddha-land o f Pure Giving as being superior
to m an y future Buddha-lands, including that o f Manjusri. H ow ever, in the sutra “T h e
Prediction o f M anjusrl's A ttainm ent o f B u d d h a h o o d ” (Chap. 10). M anjusri's B uddha-land is
also praised as superlative. T his contradiction should be regarded as O riental hyperbole. It is
an exam ple o f h o w one should n ot treat figures o r figurative expressions in M ahayana sutras
as precise, but rather as rhetorical o r sym bolic expressions for a pedagogical purpose. (G .C.)
28. Literally, “G o o d m a n .” This m a y be because Pure Giving changed her form into
that o f a boy, but M audgalyayana's question here indicates she has probably returned to her
female form.
29. T h is explanation im proves u p o n the persistent idea in m an y M a hayana sutras
(inspired by H inayana notions) that only a m an can attain full B udd h a h o o d and that a w o m a n
m ust change into a male to becom e fully enlightened. H ere it is advanced that B uddha is far
beyond such discrim inations as male or female; thus, m ale-oriented descriptions o f the B u d ­
dha, such as the th irty -tw o signs, are expedient and not to be m isunderstood as describing
the D h a rm a -b o d y o f a B uddha, w hich defies sex or any other characteristic. Furtherm ore, as
the goddess says in the Vimalaklrti Siitra, “W hile w o m e n are not w o m e n in reality, they
appear in the form o f w o m e n . W ith this in m ind, the B uddha said, ‘In all things, there is
neither male no r female.' ”
In T antrism , or Vajrayana, the m ale-dom inated B uddhist attitude changed further.
Tantric yogis follow a set o f prcccpts that prohibit belittling w o m e n in any way. Tantric
Buddhas, m oreover, are v ery frequently sh o w n in em brace w ith their consorts, w h o are fully
enlightened female Buddhas. (V.S.B.)
30. T h e sam adhi o f emptiness: one o f three samadhis. T h e other tw o are the samadhi
o f signlessness and the sam adhi o f wishlessness (cf: N um erical Glossary, “three doors to
liberation").
 6 文殊說般若會

M an ju srfs Discourse on the Param ita

of Wisdom

T hus have I heard. Once the B uddha was dwelling in the garden of A nathapin­
dada, in the Jcta G rove near SravastT, accompanied by one thousand great m onks.
Also present in the assembly w ere ten thousand Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas, all of
w h o m had adorned themselves w ith great m erits and w ere abiding in the stage of
nonrcgression. A m o n g the great Bodhisattvas w ere Bodhisattva M aitreya, B o ­
dhisattva Mafijusrl, Bodhisattva U nhindered Eloquence, and Bodhisattva N ever
A bandoning V ows.
O n e day at daw n, Bodhisattva-M ahasattva M anjusri came from his lodging
to the B u d d h a’s dwelling place and stood outside the door. T hen Venerable Sari­
putra, Venerable Pum am aitrayaniputra, Venerable M ahamaudgalyayana, V ener­
able M ahakasyapa, Venerable Mahakatyayana, Venerable Mahakausthila, and other
great Sravakas also came from their respective lodgings to the B u d d h a’s dwelling
place and stood outside the door.
W hen the B uddha kn ew that the entire assembly had gathered, he came out
o f his dwelling, arranged his seat, and sat dow n. T h en he asked Sariputra, “W hy
do you stand outside the d oor at this early h o u r?”
Sariputra replied to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, it was Bodhisattva
M anjusri w h o came and stood outside the door first. I camc later.”
Then, the W o rld-H onored One asked M anjusri, “D id you really com e here
first in order to see the Tathagata?"

Sutra 46, Taisho 310 pp. 650-657; translated into Chinese by M andra.
 D isc o u r se o n th e P a r a m it a of W is d o m 101

M anjusri replied to the Buddha, “Yes, W orld-H onored O ne. I did com e
here to see the Tathagata. W hy? Bccause I w ish to benefit sentient beings with
right contemplation. I contemplate the Tathagata as characterized by suchness, by
nondistinction, by im m obility, by nonaction, by neither arising n o r ceasing, by
neither existing n o r not existing, by being located neither in some placc n o r
elsewhere, b y being neither in the three phases o f tim e nor otherwise, by being
neither dualistic nor nondualistic, and by having neither purity n o r im purity. I
benefit sentient beings with such right contemplations on the T athagata.n
The B uddha told Manjusri, “If you can see the Tathagata in this way, your
m ind will neither cling n o r not cling to anything, and it will neither accumulate
n o r n o t accumulate an y th in g .”
T hen Sariputra said to Manjusri, “It is very rare for one to be able to see the
Tathagata in such a way as you d esc rib e ~ to see the Tathagata for the sake o f all
sentient beings, w ith o n e ’s m ind dctached from sentient beings. [It is also very-
rare] to tcach all sentient beings to pursue nirvana, w ith o n e’s o w n m ind dctached
from the pursuit o f nirvana; and to don great adornm ents1 for the sake o f all
sentient beings, w ith one’s o w n m ind dctached from the sight o f adornm ents. ”
T hen Bodhisattva-M ahasattva M anjusri said to Sariputra, “ Yes, indeed, w h at
you say is true. It is very rare for one to don great adornm ents for the sake o f all
sentient beings, w ith o ut ever having the n otion o f sentient beings in his mind. T he
realm o f sentient beings neither increases n o r decreases in spite o f his donning great
adornm ents for all sentient beings. Suppose one B uddha dwells in a w orld for a
kalpa or m ore; and suppose an infinite n u m b er o f such Buddhas, as innum erable as
th e sands o f the Ganges, succeed one another in dwelling in that Buddha-land,
each for a kalpa or m ore, to teach the D harm a day and night w ith o u t interruption,
and to ferry over to nirvana sentient beings as innum erable as the sands o f the
Ganges— still, the realm o f sentient beings will neither increase n o r decrease. It is
also true that if the Buddhas in all the Buddha-lands in the ten directions teach the
D harm a, and each ferries over to nirvana sentient beings as innum erable as the
sands o f the Ganges, the realm o f sentient beings will still neither increase nor
decrease. Why? Because sentient beings arc devoid o f any definitive entity or form.
Therefore, th e realm o f sentient beings neither increases n or decreases.”
Sariputra asked Manjusri, “If the realm o f sentient beings neither increases
n o r decreases, w h y do Bodhisattvas, for the sake o f sentient beings, seek suprem e
enlightenm ent and constantly give discourses on the D harm a?”
M anjusri said to the Buddha, “ Since sentient beings are em pty in nature,
Bodhisattvas do n o t seek suprem e enlightenm ent or tcach sentient beings. Why?
Because nothing in the D harm a I tcach is apprehensible.”
Then the B uddha asked Manjusri, “If no sentient being exists, w h y is it said
that there are sentient beings and the realm o f sentient beings?”
M anjusri answered, “T h e realm o f sentient beings is by nature identical w ith
the realm o f B u d d h as.n
T h en the B uddha asked, “Docs the sentient beings’ realm have a scope?”
102 O n E m p tin ess

Manjusri answered, “The sentient beings’ realm is identical in scope w ith the
B uddha's realm .”
T hen the B uddha asked, “Does the scope of the sentient beings’ realm have a
location?'"
Manj usri answered, “T he scopc o f th e sentient beings’ realm is inconceivable.”
T hen the B uddha asked, “Does the realm o f sentient beings abide anyw here?”
M anjusri answered, “ Sentient beings abide nowhere, ju st like space.”
T h e B uddha asked Manjusri, “ I f so, h o w should one abide in the paramita o f
w isd o m w hen cultivating it?”
M anjusri answered, uA biding in no d harm a is abiding in the paramita o f
w is d o m .”
T he B uddha asked M anjusri further, “W h y is abiding in no dharm a called
abiding in the paramita o f w isd o m ?”
M anjusri answered, "Because to have no notion o f abiding is to abide in the
paramita o f w isd o m .”
T he B uddha asked M anjusrl further, “If one thus abides in the param ita o f
w isdom , will his good roots increase or decrease?”
M anjusrl answered, “If one thus abides in the paramita o f wisdom, his good
roots will n o t increase or decrease, n o r will any dharma; n o r will the paramita of
w isdom increase or decrease in nature or characteristic.
uW o rld -H o n o red One, one w h o thus cultivates the paramita o f w isdom will
not reject the dharm as o f ordinary people n o r cling to the D h arm a o f saints and
sages. W hy? Bccause in the light o f the paramita o f wisdom, there arc no dharm as
to cling to or reject.
“M o re o v er，one w h o cultivates the paramita o f w isdom in this w ay will not
delight in nirvana or detest saiiisara. Why? Bccause he realizes there is no sariisara,
let alone rejection o f it; and no nirvaiia, let alone attachm ent to it.
“O n e w h o thus cultivates the paramita o f w isdom will see neither defile­
ments to rcjcct n o r merits to cling to; for him, no dharma increases or decreases.
W hy? Bccause such a person realizes there is no increase or decrease in the dhar-
m adhatu. W orld-H onored One, only one w h o can do so can be said to cultivate
the param ita o f w isdom .
“W orld -H o n o red O ne, to see th at no dharm a arises or ceases is to cultivate
the paramita o f w isdom .
“W o rld -H o n o red O ne, to sec th at no dh arm a increases or decreases is to
cultivate the param ita o f w isdom .
“W orld -H o n o red O ne, to aspire to nothing and to see that nothing can be
grasped is to cultivate th e paramita o f w isdom .
“W orld -H o n o red O ne, to see neither beauty nor ugliness, to think o f neither
superiority n o r inferiority, and to practicc neither attachm ent n o r renunciation is to
cultivate the paramita o f w isdom . W hy? Because no dharma is beautiful or ugly,
for all dharm as are devoid o f characteristics; no dharm a is superior or inferior, for
all dharm as are equal in nature; no dharm a can be grasped or rejected, for all
dharm as abide in reality.”
 D iscourse o n the P a r a m it a of W isd o m 103

The B uddha asked Manjusri, “Is not the B uddha-D harm a superior?”
M anjusri answered, “I find n o th in g superior or inferior. T h e Tathagata can
testify to this, since he him self has already realized the emptiness o f all d h arm as,”
T he B uddha said to Manjusri, “So it is, so it is. The Tathagata, the Su­
prem ely Enlightened O ne, has directly realized the emptiness o f dharm as•”
M anjusri asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne. in emptiness, is there
any superiority or inferiority to be found?”
T he B uddha said, "Excellent, excellent! Manjusri, w hat you say is the true
Dharma! T h e uncxccllcd is the B u d d h a-D h a rm a•”
M anjusri said, “Just as the B uddha says, the unexcelled is the Buddha-
D harm a. W hy? Bccausc the inapprchcnsibility o f dharmas is callcd the u n cx c cllc d ,
M anjusri continued, "H e w h o cultivates the paramita o f w isdom in this w ay
docs not think him self able to practicc the Buddha-D harm a. If a person does not
consider the paramita o f w isdom as a D harm a w ith w hich to enlighten ordinary
people, or as the B uddha-D harm a, or as an advanced Dharma, that person is
cultivating the paramita o f w isdom .
"Furtherm ore, W o rld-H onored O ne, w h en cultivating the param ita o f w is­
dom , one finds n o th in g to discriminate or contem plate.”
T he B uddha asked Manjusri, “Do you not contemplate the B uddha-D harm a?”
M anjusri answered, “N o , W o rld -H o n o red One. If I contemplated it, I w ould
not see it. Furtherm ore, one should not m ake such distinctions as ‘the dharmas of
ordinary people,’ ‘the D harm a o f Sravakas,' and ‘the D harm a o f Pratyekabuddhas.5
This is callcd the uncxccllcd B uddha-D harm a.
"Furtherm ore, if a person, w h en cultivating the paramita o f w isdom , has no
n o tio n o f ordinary people, n o r a notion o f B uddha-D harm a, nor docs he pcrccivc
a fixed entity in anything, that person is really cultivating the paramita o f w isdom .
"Furtherm ore, if a person, w hen cultivating the paramita o f w isd o m , does
not sec the Realm o f Desire, the Realm o f Form, the Realm o f Formlessness, or the
realm o f ultim ate quiescencc, because he sees no dharm a characterized by complete
extinction, then that person is really cultivating the param ita o f w isdom .
"Furtherm ore, if a person, w hen cultivating the paramita of w isdom , per-
ccivcs neither the one w h o docs favors n o r the one w ho returns favors, and thus
has no discrimination in his m ind in dealing w ith the tw o, that person is really
cultivating the paramita o f w isdom .
“Furtherm ore, if a person, w h en cultivating the param ita o f w isdom , does
not see any paramita o f w isdom , and finds neither any B uddha-D harm a to grasp
nor any dharm as o f ordinary people to rcject, that person is really cultivating the
paramita o f w isdom .
“Furtherm ore, if a person, w hen cultivating th e paramita o f w isdom , secs
neither any dharm a o f ordinary people to be extinguished n o r any Buddha-
D h arm a to be realized, that person is really cultivating the paramita o f w isdom .
The B uddha told Manjusri, "Excellent! It is excellent that you can explain so
well the attributes of the profound paramita of w isdom . What you say is a seal o f
the D h a rm a learned by Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas. . . . ”
104 O n E m ptiness

The B uddha told M anjusri further, “A person w h o is n o t frightened w hen

he hears this D harm a has not merely planted good roots in the lands o f one
thousand Buddhas; he has been planting good roots in the lands o f hundreds o f
thousands o f [millions of] billions o f Buddhas for a long time.
M anjusri said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored One, now I will continue to
explain the paramita o f wisdom.
T he B uddha said, “Y ou may p ro c e e d ,
M anjusri said, “W o rld-H onored O ne, w hen cultivating the paramita o f w is­
dom , one does n o t see any dharm a in w hich one should or should not abide, nor
does he see any state to cling to or rejcct. Why? Bccause, like Tathagatas, he sees
no state o f any dharma. H e docs n o t see even the states o f Buddhas, let alone those
o f Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, or ordinary people. He clings neither to the con­
ceivable n o r to the inconceivable. H e does not see the variety o f dharmas. In this
manner, he realized by him self the inconceivable emptiness o f dharmas. . . •”
T he B uddha asked Manjusri, “T o h o w m an y Buddhas have you given offer­
ings?”
M anjusrl answered, “T h e Buddhas and I are all illusory. I sec neither a giver
nor a receiver o f offerings.”
T he B uddha asked Maiijusrl, “Are you not now abiding in the B uddha-
vehiclc?”
Maiijusrl answered, “As I think about it, I do not see a single dharma. H o w
could I abide in the Buddha-vehicle?”
T h e Buddha asked, 4tManjusri, have you not attained the Buddha-vehiclc?”
Manjusri said, “T h e so-callcd Buddha-vehiclc is only a name; it cannot be
attained or pcrccivcd. If so, h o w can I attain anything?”
T h e B u d d h a asked, 4tManjusri, have you attained th e unobstructed w isd o m ?”
M anjusri answered, “I am th e unobstructed. H o w can the unobstructed at­
tain the unobstructed?”
T h e B uddha asked, 4tManjusri, do y o u sit on the bodhi-site?”
M anjusri answered, “N o Tathagata sits on the bodhi-site; w h y should I
alone sit on the bodhi-site? W hy do I say this? Bccause by dircct pcrccption I k n o w
dearly that all dharm as abide in reality.”
The B uddha asked, “W hat is reality?”
M anjusri answered, “Dharm as such as the view o f a self2 arc r e a lity .
T h e B uddha asked, “W h y is the view o f a self reality?”
M anjusri answered, “As to the reality o f the view o f a self, it is neither real
nor unreal; neither comes n o r goes; is both self and nonsclf. Hence, it is called
reality. ” • . .
M anjusri said to the Buddha, “O n e w h o is n o t afraid, horrified, confuscd, or
regretful at hearing this profound param ita o f w isdom sees the B u d d h a.,5. . .
 D is c o u r s e o n t h e P a r a m it a of W isd o m 105

ii

T hen Sariputra said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored One, the paramita of w is­
d o m spoken by M anjusri is beyond the com prehension o f novice Bodhisattvas.”
M anjusri said, “It is incomprehensible not only to novicc Bodhisattvas, but
also to Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas w h o have already done w h at they set out to
do. N o one can com prehend a teaching like this. W hy? Bccausc there is really
nothing know ablc about bodhi, w hich defies seeing, learning, attaining, thinking,
arising, ceasing, speaking, and hearing. Thus, being em pty and quiesccnt by na­
ture and characteristic, beyond realization and comprehension, and devoid o f shape
or form , h o w can bodhi be acquired by anyone?”
Sariputra asked M anjusri, “Does the B uddha n o t realize suprem e enlighten­
m ent through the d h arm ad h itu ?”
M anjusri answered, “N o, Sariputra. Why? Because the W orld-H onored O n e
is the dharm adhatu itself. It is absurd to say that the d harm adhatu realizes the
dharm adhatu. Sariputra, the nature o f the dharm adhatu is bodhi. Why? Because, in
the dharm adhatu, there is no trace o f sentient beings and all dharm as are em pty.
T h e em ptiness o f all dharm as is bodhi, because th ey are n o t tw o and arc not
different.
''Sariputra, w here there is no discrimination, there is no know er. W here
there is no know er, there is no speech. T hat w hich is beyond spccch is neither
existent n o r nonexistent; neither know able nor unknowable. So is it w ith all dhar­
mas. Why? Because no dharm a can be identified, w hether by location or by
specific nature. . . . ”
Then the W o rld-H onored One asked Manjusri, “Y ou call m e the Tathagata.
l)o you really think I am the T ath ig ata?”
M anjusri answered, “N o , W orld-H onored O ne, I do n o t th in k you are the
Tathagata. T h ere is no th in g about suchness that distinguishes it as suchncss, n o r is
there a Tathagata's w isdom capable o f k now ing suchness. W hy? Because the T atha­
gata and w isdom are n o t tw o. Emptiness is the Tathagata; therefore the Tathagata
is only an arbitrary name. H o w , then, can I regard anyone as the T ath ig ata?”
T h e B uddha asked, “D o you doubt the Tathagata?”
M anjusri answered, “N o, W orld-H onored O ne, I pcrceivc that the T atha­
gata has no definite nature; that he is neither born n o r perishes. Therefore, I have
no doubt w h atsoever.”
T he B uddha asked Manjusri, “W ould you n o t say that the Tathagata n o w
appears in the w o rld ?”
M anjusri answered, “If the T athagata appears in the w orld, all the dhar­
m adhatu should also appear.”
The B uddha asked Manjusri, “W ould you say that Buddhas as innum erable
as the sands o f the Ganges have entered n irv 扣 a?”
M anjusri answered, “All Buddhas have one characteristic: inconceivability.”
106 O n E m p tiness

The Buddha said, “So it is, so it is. All Buddhas have one characteristic, that
o f in c o n c e iv a b ility ."
M anjusri asked the Buddha, “W o rld-H onored One. docs the B uddha stay in
the w orld ncnv?”
T he B uddha answered, “It is so, it is so .”3
M anjusri said, “If the B uddha stays in the w o rld 、so should other Buddhas as
innum erable as th e sands o f th e G anges. W hy? Bccausc all Buddhas have one
identical characteristic: inconceivability. T h at w hich is characterized by inconceiv­
ability docs n o t arise or cease. If the future Buddhas were to appear in the w orld,
all o th er Buddhas w ould appear, too. W hy? Becausc in the inconceivable there is
no past, present, or future. H ow ever, sentient beings prone to grasping still say
that a B uddha appears in the w orld or that a Buddha enters nirvana."
T he B uddha said to Manjusri, “This can be understood by the Tathagata,
Arhats, and nonrcgrcssing Bodhisattvas. Why? Bccause these three kinds o f people
can hear this profound D harm a w ith o u t slandering or praising it.”
Mafijusri said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored One, w ho could slander or
praise this inconccivable D harm a?”
T h e B uddha said to Manjusri, “T he T athagata is inconccivablc, and so arc
ordinary people.1,4
M anjusri asked the Buddha, “W o rld-H onored One, arc ordinary people also
inconceivablc?"
T he B uddha answered, “Yes, they are also inconccivable. Why? Bccause all
m inds are inconceivablc."
MaiijusrT said, “If, as you say, both the Tathagata and ordinary people are
inconccivable, then the countless Buddhas w h o have sought nirvana have w orn
themselves out for nothing. W hy? Bccause the inconceivablc is nirvana; they arc
identical, n ot different."
Man j usri continued, “ O n ly those good m en and good w o m en w h o have
cultivated good roots and associated closcly w ith virtuous friends for a long time
can understand that ordinary people, as well as the Buddhas, are inconccivable.”
The B uddha asked Mafijusri, “D o you wish to treat the Tathagata as the
suprem e one am ong sentient beings?”
M anjusri answered, “I do wish to treat the Tathagata as forem ost am ong
sentient beings, but no attribute o f sentient beings is apprehensible."
T he B uddha asked, “D o you wish to treat the Tathagata as the one w h o has
attained the inconccivablc D harm a?”
Maiijusri answ ered, “I do w ish to treat the Tathagata as the one w h o has
attained the inconccivable D harm ^, but there is no D harm a to be achieved.”
T h e B uddha asked Manjusri, “D o you wish to treat the Tathagata as a
teacher of the D h arm a w h o converts sentient beings?”
M anjusri answered, “I do wish to treat the T athagata as a teachcr o f the
D h arm a w h o converts sentient beings, but the D harm a tcacher and the listener arc
b o th inapprehensible. W hy? Becausc th ey both abide in the dharm adhatu, and in
the dharm adhatu sentient beings are n o t different from one a n o t h e r . . .
 D is c o u r s e o n the P a r a m it a of W isd o m 107

T he B uddha asked. “D o you enter the Samadhi of the Inconceivable?”

M anjusrl answered. “N o, W orld-H onored O ne. I am the inconceivable. I do
not see any m ind capable o f conceiving anything; so. h ow can it be said that I enter
the Samadhi o f the Inconceivable? W hen I first b rought forth bodhicitta, I did
intend to enter that samadhi. H ow ever, as I reflect on it now , I see that I enter that
sam adhi really w ith o u t thinking about it. Just as, after long practice, one becomes
a skillful archer able to hit the target w ith ou t thinking about it, so, as a result o f
long practice, I am one w ith the Samadhi o f th e Inconceivable at all times w ithout
thinking about it, though I had to concentrate m y m ind on one object w hen I
started to learn that sam adhi.”
Sariputra asked Maiijusrl, tlA re there other superior, w onderful samadhis o f
ultim ate quiescence?”
M anjusri answered, “ If there w ere a Samadhi o f the Inconceivable, then you
m ight ask w hether or n o t there are other samadhis o f ultim ate quiescence. H o w ­
ever, according to m y understanding, even the Samadhi o f the Inconceivable is
inapprehensible; h o w could you ask w hether or not there are o th er samadhis o f
ultim ate quiescence?”
Sariputra asked, “Is the Samadhi o f the Inconceivable inapprehensible?”
M anjusri answered, “A samadhi w hich is conceivable is apprehensible, while
a samadhi w hich is inconceivable is inapprehensible. In fact, all sentient beings
have achieved the Samadhi o f the Inconceivable. Why? All m inds are nonm inds,
[and to have no mind] is called the Samadhi o f the Inconceivable. Therefore, the
characteristics o f all sentient beings and those o f the Samadhi o f the Inconceivable
are identical and n o t different.”
T h e B uddha praised Manjusri, saying, “Excellent, excellent! Because you
have been planting good roots and cultivating pure co n d u ct in Buddha-lands for a
long time, you are able to discourse on the profound samadhi. N o w you are
abiding securely in the paramita o f w isd o m .”
M anjusri said, “If I can give this discourse because I abide in the paramita o f
w isdom , then I have the concept o f existence an d abide in the concept o f a self; if I
abide in the concepts of existence and a self, then the paramita of w isdom has an
abode. H ow ever, to think that the paramita of w isdom abides in nothingness is
also the concept of a self, and [abiding in nothingness] is also called [having] an
abode. T o steer clear of these two abodes,5 one should abide in nonabidance as
B uddhas do, and d w ell securely in ultim ate quiescence, th e inconceivable state.
O n ly this inconceivable state is called the abode o f the paramita o f w isd o m .” . . .
M anjusri continued, “T h e realm o f the Tathagata and the realm o f a self are
not two. H e w h o cultivates the paramita o f w isdom w ith this understanding does
not seek bodhi. W hy? Because detachm ent from the notion o f bodhi is the para­
mita o f w isd o m .” . . .
Then the B uddha said to Mahakasyapa, “As an illustration, the budding on
a parijata tree in the H eaven of the T hirty-T hree gives great jo y to the gods there,
because it is a sure sign that the tree will soon com e into bloom. Similarly,
the b udding o f faith and understanding in m onks, nuns, laym en, and layw om en
1 08 O n E m ptin ess

w h o have heard the teaching o f the paramita o f w isdom is a sign that all B uddha-
D harm as will soon blossom forth from these persons.
“If there are m onks, nuns, laym en and layw om en in the future w ho, after
hearing the paramita of w isdom , accept it with faith and read and recite it w ithout
regret or confusion in mind, you should k n o w that they have heard and accepted
this sutra in this assembly, and that they will also be able to elaborate on this sutra
and circulate it am o n g people in cities and villages. You should k n o w that they
will be protected and rem em bered by Buddhas.
“T hose goo d m en and g o o d w o m en w h o believe and delight in this pro­
found param ita o f w isdom and have no doubt about it, have learned the doctrine
long ago from past Buddhas and planted good roots in their lands. For example, if
a person w h o is stringing beads suddenly comes across an unexcelled, real wish-
fulfilling pearl and is jubilant, you should k now that he must have seen such
a pearl before. Similarly, Kasyapa, if a good m an or a good w o m en , while
learning other doctrines, suddenly hears the profound paramita o f w isdom and be­
comes jubilant, you should k now that it is bccause he or she has heard it before. If
there are sentient beings w h o can faithfully accept and take great delight in the
paramita o f w isdom w hen they hear it, it is bccause those persons have associated
w ith countless Buddhas and learned the paramita o f w isdom from them previously.
“T o illustrate further, if a person w h o has previously seen a city or a village
hears another person praising the loveliness and charm o f its gardens, ponds,
springs, flowers, fruits, trees, and its male and female citizens, he will be greatly
delighted. H e will then urge the person to relate again the various adornm ents of
its gardens and parks, flowers, ponds, fountains, sweet fruits, various treasures,
and other enjoyable things. W hen the listener hears these things described a second
time, he will be exhilarated again. N o w , all this is because he has seen that placc
before. Similarly, if there are good m en and good w o m en w ho, after hearing the
paramita o f w isdom from someone, acccpt it w ith faith, take pleasure in it, enjoy
hearing it untiringly, and furtherm ore urge that person to repeat it, you should
k n o w that those persons have heard M anjusri explain this profound paramita o f
w isd o m before.， ’• . .
M anjusri then said to the Buddha, “W o rld-H onored O ne, the B uddha says
th at 2II d harm as arc actionless, signless, and ultimately quiesccnt. If a good m an or
a good w o m an can understand this tru th corrcctly and explain it to others as
taught, he or she will be praised by Tathagatas. W hat that person says will not
conflict w ith the nature o f dharmas, but will be the teaching o f the Buddha; it will
be the radiance o f the paramita o f w isdom and the radiance o f all the B uddha-
D harm as, w hich result from the penetration o f reality, the inconceivablc.”
T he B uddha told Manjusri, “W hen I was practicing the Bodhisattva-path in
the past, I had to [learn the paramita o f w isdom to| cultivate good roots; I had to
learn the param ita o f w isdom in order to abide in the stage o f nonregression and
achieve suprem e enlightenment. G o od m en and good w o m en should also learn the
paramita o f w isdom . O n e w h o wishes to achicvc the thirty-tw o auspicious signs
. . . should learn the paramita o f w i s d o m . . . .
 D isc o u r se o n th e P a r a m it a of W isd o m 109
“O n e who wishes to know that all dharmas are equally comprised in the
dharm adhatu, and thereby to free his mind from all obstructions, should learn the
paramita of w i s d o m . . . .
“O n e w h o wishes to extend kindness to all sentient beings w ith o u t restric­
tion and w ithout entertaining any notion o f sentient beings should learn the para­
mita o f w i s d o m . . . .
“O n e w h o wishes to k n o w w h at is right and w rong, to obtain the ten
powers and the four fearlessnesses, to abide in the B u d d h a’s w isdom , and to
acquire unim peded eloquence should learn the paramita o f w is d o m /'
T hen M anjusri said to the Buddha, "W orld-H onored O ne, in m y opinion,
the true D harm a is unconditioned, signless, inapprehensible, not bcnctl cial, n o n ­
arising, nonccasing, noncom ing, nongoing, and w ithout a know cr, a pcrccivcr, or
a doer. N either the paramita o f wisdom nor its state can be seen, realized, or
not realized; the paramita o f wisdom is devoid o f mental constructions and dis­
crim ination.6 Dharmas arc neither exhaustible nor inexhaustible; in them there is no
D harm a o f ordinary people, no D h arm a o f Sravakas, no D harm a o f Pratyckabud-
dhas, and no D h arm a o f Buddhas; there is neither attainm ent n o r nonattainm ent,
neither the renunciation o f sariisara n o r the realization o f nirvana, neither the con­
ceivable n o r the inconccivablc, neither action n o r nonaction. T he characteristics
o f D harm a being such, I do not see w h y anyone should learn the paramita of
w isdom . .
M anjusri asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, w h y is the paramita o f
w isdom so called?"
T h e B uddha answered, "The paramita o f w isdom has no bound or border,
nam e or m ark; it is beyond thought; it contains no refuge, [like a sea] w ith o u t an
island or a sandbar; in it there is no offense or blessing, light or darkness; it is as
indivisible and limitless as the dharm adhatu. T hat is w h y it is callcd the paramita
o f w isdom . It is also callcd the sphere o f action o f a great Bodhisattva. [The
so-called sphere o f action is] neither a sphere o f action n o r a sphere o f nonaction.
All that belongs to the O n e Vehicle is callcd the sphere o f nonaction. W hy?
Bccausc [in it] there is no th ought and no activity.”7
M anjusri asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, what should one do to
acquire supreme enlightenm ent quickly?"
T he B uddha answered, "If one follows the teaching o f the paramita o f
w isd om , one can acquire suprem e enlightenm ent quickly. Furtherm ore, there is
the Single D eed Samadhi: a g o o d m an or a g o o d w o m an w h o cultivates this
samadhi will also quickly acquirc supreme enlightenm ent."
M anjusri asked, “W orld-H onored One, w hat is the Single Deed Samadhi?”
T h e B u d d h a answered, “T o meditate exclusively on the oneness o f the dhar­
m adhatu is callcd the Single Deed Sam adhi.8 Those good m en or good w o m en w h o
wish to enter this sam adhi should first listen to discourses on the paramita o f
w isd o m and cultivate it as taught. T hen they can enter this samadhi, which, like
the dharmadhatu, is nonrcgrcssivc, indestructible, inconccivablc, unobstructed,
and signless.
110 O n E m ptin ess

“Those good m en or good w o m en w h o wish to enter the Single D eed

Samadhi should live in seclusion, cast aw ay discursivc thoughts, not cling to the
appearances o f things, concentratc their minds on a Buddha, and recitc his name
single-mindcdly. T hey should keep their bodies erect and, facing the direction of
that Buddha, meditate upon him continuously. If th ey can m aintain mindfulness o f
the Buddha w ith o u t interruption from m o m en t to m om ent, then they will be able
to see all the Buddhas o f the past, present, and future right in cach m o m e n t.9 Why?
Bccausc the merits o f being mindful o f one B uddha arc as innum erable and bou n d ­
less as those o f being mindful o f countless Buddhas, for the inconccivablc teach­
ings o f all Buddhas are identical and undifferentiated. All Buddhas achieve su­
prem e enlightenm ent by the same suchness, and all arc endow ed w ith incalculable
merits and im measurable eloqucncc. Therefore, one w h o enters the Single Deed
Samadhi k n o w s th o rou g hly that Buddhas as innum erable as the sands o f the Ganges
are indistinguishable in the dharm adhatu.
“A m o n g all the Sravakas w h o hear the B uddha-D harm a, Ananda has achieved
the highest level o f m em ory, dharanl, cloquencc, and wisdom; still, his achieve­
m en t is limited and measurable. H ow ever, one w ho has attained the Single D eed
Samadhi will th orou g h ly , distinctly, and w ithout any hindrance understand every
D harm a-door explained in the siitras. His w isdom and cloqucncc will never be
exhausted even if he discourses on the D harm a day and night, and Ananda’s
erudition and cloqucncc cannot equal o n e hundredth, or even one thousandth part
o f his. A great Bodhisattva should think: ‘H o w shall I attain the Single Deed
Samadhi, thus gaining inconceivable merits and imm easurable renow n?’”
The B uddha continued, “A great Bodhisattva should keep the Single Deed
Samadhi in m ind and always strive energetically for it w ithout ever becom ing lax
or lazy. Thus, learning gradually, he will be able to enter the Single D eed Sa­
m adhi, and the inconccivablc m erits attained thereby will bear witness that he has
entered it. H ow ever, those w h o slander or disbelieve the true D harm a and those
w ho are hindered by evil karm a or grave offenses will n o t be able to enter that
sam ad h i.1(1
“Furtherm ore, Maiijusrl, as an illustration, suppose a person w ho has ac­
quired a wish-fulfilling pearl shows it to an expert in pearls. T he expert tells him
that he has acquired a priceless, real wish-fulfilling pearl. T he ow ner then requests
the expert to polish it for him w ithout dam aging its luster. After being polished,
the pearl shines w ith full, translucent luster. Similarly, Mafijusrl, if a good man or
a good w o m a n cultivates the Single D eed Samadhi, he or she will penetrate the
p henom ena o f all dharm as w ithout obstruction, and will gain inconccivable merits
and im m easurable ren o w n while that samadhi is cultivated.
tlM aiijusn, ju st as the sun can illuminate all placcs w ith o u t losing its o w n
brilliance, so one w h o has acquired the Single Deed Samadhi can possess all merits,
lacking none, and illuminate the Buddha-D harm a.
4tMaiVjusrI, all the D harm as I tcach arc o f one taste— the taste o f detachment,
liberation, and ultimate quicsccncc. W hat is taught by a good m an or a good
 D is c o u r s e o n the P a r a m it a of W isd o m 111

w o m an w ho has acquired the Single D eed Samadhi is also o f one taste— the taste
o f detachment, liberation, and ultimate quicscence— and is unerringly consistent
with the true D harm a.
"M anjusri, a great Bodhisattva w h o has acquired the Single Deed Sama­
dhi has fulfilled all the conditions conducivc to his swift attainm ent o f supreme
enlightenm ent.
“Furtherm ore, Maiijusrl, if a great Bodhisattva sees neither diversity n o r
unity in the dharm adhatu, he will quickly attain suprem e enlightenm ent. He w h o
knows that the characteristics o f suprem e enlightenm ent are inconceivable and that
there is no reaching Buddhahood in [the attainm ent of] bodhi will swiftly attain su­
prem e enlightenment. H e w h o believes and recognizes w ithout fear or doubt that
all dharmas arc the B u ddha-D harm a will swiftly attain suprem e enlightenm ent."
M anjusri asked the Buddha, “W orld -H o n o red One, docs one attain suprem e
enlightenm ent swiftly by such causes?”
T h e B uddha said, “Supreme enlightenm ent is achieved neither by a cause
nor not by a causc. W hy? Because the realm o f the inconceivablc is acquired
neither by a causc n o r not by a causc.
“If a good m an or a good w o m an does not relax his or her efforts after
hearing this discourse, you should know that he or she has planted good roots in
the lands o f past Buddhas. Theref ore, if a m onk or a nun is not frightened after he
or she hears this profound param ita o f w isdom , he or she has really left the
household life to follow the Buddha. If a laym an or layw om an is not horrified
upon hearing this profound paramita o f w isdom , he or she has found a true refuge.
llManjusrI, if a good m an or a good w o m an docs not practicc this profound
paramita o f w isdom , he or she is not following the Buddha-vehicle. Just as all
incdicinal herbs rely on the great earth for grow th, Manjusri, so do all the good
ro o ts o f a great Bodhisattva depend on the paramita o f w isdom for g ro w th leading
to suprem e en lightenm ent.”
T hen M anjusri asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, in which city or
village o f this w o rld should this profound paramita o f w isdom be taught?"
T he B uddha replied to Maiijusrl, “If anyone in this assembly, after hearing
the teaching o f the paramita o f wisdom, vow s to conform constantly to the para-
nuta o f w isdom in future lives, he will in his future lives be able to listen to this
、Qtra as a result o f this faith and understanding. You should k n o w that such a
person will not be born with small good roots. He will be able to acccpt the
reaching o f this sutra and rcjoice w h en hearing i t . . .
Manjusri said to the Buddha, “W o rld-H onored O ne, if m onks, nuns, lay­
men, or layw om en com e to ask me, ‘W h y does the Tathagata discourse on the
paramita o f w isd o m ?’，I will answer, ‘All the teachings o f the D harm a are bc-
\ ond dispute. T he Tathagata discourses on the paramita o f wisdom bccause he
docs not sec any dharm a that can conflict w ith w hat he tcaches, or any sentient
beings w h o can understand the paramita o f wisdom w ith their [discriminative
mind] or consciousncss.’
112 O n E m ptin ess

"M oreover, W o rld -H o n o re d O ne, I will further explain ultimate reality.

W'h\-? Bccause the phenom ena o f all dharmas are comprised in reality. A n A rhat
has no superior Dharm a. W hy not? Because the Dharm a o f an A rhat and that o f an
ordinary person arc neither the same n o r different. . . . ”
M anjusri continued, “If people wish to learn the paramita o f wisdom, I will
tell them , ‘Y ou listeners should not think o f anything or attach yourselves to
anything, n o r should you think that you are hearing or acquiring som ething. You
should be as free o f discrimination as a magically produced being. This is the true
teaching o f the D harm a. Therefore, you listeners should not entertain the notion of
duality, should n ot abandon various views to cultivate the B uddha-D harm a, should
n o t grasp the B uddha-D harm a, and should not reject the dharm as o f ordinary
people. W hy? Bccausc the D harm a o f the Buddha and the dharm as o f ordinary
people are both characterized by emptiness, w herein there is nothing to be grasped
or rejected .，If people ask me about the paramita o f w isdom , that is h o w I will
answer; that is h o w I will console them ; that is w hat I will advocate. G ood m en
and good w o m en should ask me about this and abide by m y answ er w ithout
regression. T h ey should k n o w that I tcach the characteristics o f dharmas in ac-
cordancc w ith the param ita o f w isd o m .”
T hen the W orld-H onored O ne praised Manjusri, saying, “Excellent, excel­
lent! It is ju st as you say. A good man or a good w o m an w h o wishes to see
Buddhas should learn this paramita o f w isdom . O n e w ho wishes to associate w ith
Buddhas closcly and m ake offerings to them properly should learn this paramita of
w isdom .
“ O n e w h o wishes to say, ‘T h e Tathagata is our W orld-H onored O n e ，should
learn this paramita o f w isdom ; one w h o says, ‘T he Tathagata is not our W orld-
H ono red O n e ’ should also learn this paramita o f w isdom .
“ O n e w h o wishes to attain suprem e enlightenm ent should learn this para­
m ita o f wisdom ; one w h o docs n o t wish to attain suprem e enlightenm ent should
also learn this paramita o f wisdom.
“ O n e w h o wishes to accomplish all samadhis should learn this paramita of
wisdom; one w h o does n o t wish to accomplish any samadhi should also learn
this paramita o f w isdom . W hy? Bccause samadhi is not different in nature from
nonartion, and no dharm a conics or g o es . . .
The B uddha said to Manjusri, “If m onks, nuns, laymen, and layw om cn
wish to avoid falling into the miserable planes o f cxistcnce, they should learn this
paramita o f w isdom . If a good m an or a good w o m an accepts, practices, reads,
and rccitcs only a four-line stanza [of this param ita o f w isdom ], and explains it to
others in accordance w ith reality, he or she will w ithout fail attain supreme en­
lightenm ent and will live in a Buddha-land.
“T h e B uddha approves o f one w h o is n o t afraid or fearful w hen hearing this
paramita o f w isdom , but instead has faith in it and understands it. T he paramita o f
w isd o m is the D harm a-seal o f the M ahayana demonstrated by th e B uddha. If a
good man or a good w o m an learns this Dharma-seal, he or she will rise above the
 D is c o u r s e o n thh P a r a m it a of W isd o m 113

miserable planes o f existcncc. Such a person will not follow the paths o f Sravakas
or Pratyekabuddhas, becausc he or she will have transcended [those p a th s]/5
Then the T h irty-T h ree Deva Kings, led b y Sakra, scattered upon the T atha­
gata and M anjusrl w onderful celestial flowers, such as blue lotuses, w hite lotuses,
opened w hite lotuses, and flowers o f the coral tree; celestial sandalwood inccnse,
o th er kinds o f p o w d ered incense, and various treasures. The devas also played
celestial music, all as offerings to the Tathagata, to Maiijusrl. and to the param ita
o f w isdom . After m ak ing the offerings, Sakra said, “M ay I often hear this paramita
o f w isdom , the D harm a-seal! M ay the good m en and good w o m en in this w orld
always have opportunities to hear this sutra, so that they m ay surely believe in and
understand the B uddha-D harm a; accept, practice, read, rccite, and explain it to
others; and thus be upheld by all g o d s.”
T h en the B uddha told Sakra, tlKausika, so it is, so it is. Such good m en and
good w o m en will surely acquirc the enlightenment o f Buddhas. ” • . .
W hen the Buddha had finished teaching this sutra, the great Bodhisattvas
and the four kinds o f devotees w h o had heard this paramita o f w isdom began to
practicc it w ith great jo y and veneration.

NOTES

1. T h at is, virtues w hich “a d o rn ” a great Bodhisattva.

2. Literally, “the view o f a b o d y .”
3. The text reads thus, but there may be a textual corruption here. Logically, it seems
better to render it as: “T h e B ud d h a answered, ‘N o . ，,’ H ow ever, since the B uddha can also be
refuted ，M anjusri's follow ing statem ent is appropriate.
4. In this and the follow ing four paragraphs, the B uddha and M anjusri e xpound the
discovery, according to the Mahayana tradition, that the B uddha m ade w hen he attained
enlightenm ent, viz., all beings have the sam e nature, w hich is that o f Buddhahood.
5. T h at is, eternalism and nihilism, usually referred to as the tw o extremes.
6. M anjusrl has here restated the essencc o f this siitra.
7. T h e T ibetan version o f this passage reads quite differently from the Chinese, as
follows:
M anjusrl asked the Bhagavan, “W o rld -H o n o red O ne, w h y is the param ita o f w isdom
so called?”
T h e B ud d h a said, 4tM anjusn, becausc it neither arises no r ceascs, it is callcd the
param ita o f w isdom . It is quiescent from the beginning w ith o u t p ro duction or action, be­
cause there is nothing w hatsoever in it. That which is devoid o f any cxistencc or being is
callcd the param ita o f w isdom . All D harm as are | in the] realm o f action; this (fact] itself is the
realm o f action o f a B odhisattva-M ahasattva. T o act in this m anner is to enter the realm of
action o f a B odhisattva-M ahasattva. T h e nonsphere o f action is the sphere o f action o f all
vehicles. This is w h y it is callcd the nonsphere o f a c t i o n . ( G . C . )
114 O n E m p tin ess

卜 Alreriicite translation: “T o m editate with concentration on the one essence o f the

d r.irniadhatu is called the Single D eed Samadhi.
Fhc Tibetan text reads: ^Mai'ijusri, the so-called Single Deed |Sam adhi] is sim ply a
n o m e n c h tu rc o f the nonarising |truth|. Those good m en and good w o m e n who w ish to
enter the Single D eed Samadhi first should carcfully study the param ita o f w is d o m .”
一 行 三 昧 ，here rendered as “the Single Deed Sam adhi.'' is perhaps one o f the m ost

im p ortant topics o f this siitra. All the m ajor practiccs ot M ahayana B uddhism seem to be
included in this samadhi practice. H ow ever, w ithout a careful reading one is liable to m isun­
derstand the teaching given here. Thus, brief review o f the practice o f this samadhi may be
helpful:
T h e esscncc or basic nature o f this samadhi is n o t the recitation ot a Buddha's name, as
instructed in this paragraph. T he recitation o f a B uddha's nam e and the continuous m indful­
ness o f a B uddha's image, as practiced by the Chinese Pure Land School and the T antra
School, are extrem ely im portant and necessary as preparatory practices; they cannot, h o w ­
ever, substitute for the m ain practicc o f the Single D eed Samadhi, bccausc both are still
“fo r m - b o u n d ,” i.e., attached to ccrtain kinds o f forms.
T h e m ain practice o f the Single Deed Sam adhi is to meditate on the “one essence o f
the d h a rm a d h a tu ,11 or the “nonarising em ptiness,” w hich is beyond all thoughts and dis­
crim inations and totally transcendent.
T o enter this samadhi, one should first study well the teachings o f the Prajnaparam ita,
then recite a B uddha's nam e singlcmindedly. M editating thus continuously, one will rcccive
the blessing o f a B uddha. C o m b in in g this blessing w ith one's insight into Prajnaparam ita,
one can then approach the Single D e e d Sam adhi w ith o u t m u ch hazard.
T h e sequence o f practicing the Single D eed Samadhi is therefore as follows:
1. Study and contem plate well the Prajnaparam ita teaching.
2. Recite a B uddha's nam e singlc-mindcdly.
3. M editate on the one essence o f the dharm adhatu; i.e., pcnctratingly observe the
em ptiness o f being, thus causing a great "leap over” to the inconceivable d h a rm a ­
dhatu. (G.C.)
10. W hen the karm ic results for such persons’ evil actions or thoughts have been
exhausted, those persons will then be able to practice the profound samadhi. (V.S.B.)
 7 無畏德菩薩會

The Prophecy of Bodhisattva Fearless

V irtue’s Attainm ent of Buddhahood

Thus have I heard. O nce the W orld-H onored O ne was dwelling o n M o u n t G rdh-
rakuta near the city o f Rajagrha, accompanied by five hundred m onks. Countless
Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas w ere also present, and eight thousand o f them led the
rest. These leaders had all acquired samadhi and dharanl; had penetrated well into
emptiness, signlcssncss, and wishlcssncss— the three doors to liberation; had ac­
quired a good co m m an d o f miraculous powers; and had achieved the Realization
o f the N onarising o f Dharmas. A m o n g them were Bodhisattva M c ru ,1 Bodhisattva
G reat M eru, Bodhisattva C onstantly E ntering Samadhi, Bodhisattva Ever-V igor-
ous, Bodhisattva Precious H and, Bodhisattva Roots o f C onstant Joy, Bodhisattva
W orthy Strength, Bodhisattva Precious Form , Bodhisattva R ahu， 2 Bodhisattva Sa-
kra God, Bodhisattva W ater God, Bodhisattva H igh Aspiration, Bodhisattva Su­
perior Aspiration, Bodhisattva Intense Aspiration, and so forth.
D uring the W o rld -H o n ored O n e ’s stay near the city o f Rajagrha, the king,
princes, brahmins, elders, and lay devotees all worshiped, praised，and m ade offer­
ings to the Buddha.
A t that time, the W o rld-H onored O n e was teaching the D harm a to the
incalculable hundreds o f thousands o f millions o f followers w ho surrounded him
respectfully.
One m orning, in accordancc with the rules, num erous Sravakas, including
Venerable Sariputra, Venerable M aham audgalyayana, Venerable Mahakasyapa,
Venerable Subhuti, Venerable Pum am aitrayanlputra, Venerable Revata，Venerable
Asvajit, Venerable Upali, Venerable Rahula, and Venerable Ananda, all dressed in
m onastic robes and h o lding bowls in their hands, w en t into the city o f Rajagrha
Sutra 32, T aish o 310 pp. 550-555; translated into Chinese by Buddhasanta.
 116 O n E m p tin ess

for the sole purpose o f begging food from house to house. Begging in this way,
these Sravakas gradually approached the palacc w here King Ajatasatru lived. W hen
thc\' arrived there, they stood in silence to one side, w ithout saying w h eth er they
w anted tood or not.
King Ajatasatru had a daughter nam ed Fearless Virtue, a maiden incom par­
able in beauty and grace. She had achieved the m ost distinctive merits [in the
world], although that year she was ju st twelve. She was sitting with golden,
jewelled shoes on her feet in her royal father’s hall w hen she saw the Sravakas. She
did not stand up to w clcom e them, but sat in silcncc, not exchanging greetings
w ith them , saluting them , or asking them to be seated. Seeing Fearless Virtue
sitting silently, K ing Ajatasatru asked her, “D o you not k n o w that these m en are
all the forem ost disciples o f Sakyam uni Tathagata? D o you not k n o w that they
have achieved the great D harm a, and are fields o f blessings in the world? It is out
o f compassion for sentient beings that they beg for food. N o w that you have seen
them, w h y do you n o t stand up to welcome them? W hy not salute them, exchange
greetings w ith them , and ask them to be seated? N o w , w hat on earth do you have
in m ind that keeps you from standing up to w elcom c them ?”
Fearless V irtue asked her royal father, “Has Y our Majesty ever seen or heard
that a universal m o n arch stands up to w elcom e m in o r kings w h en he sees them ?”
T h e king answered, “N o . ”
“Has Y our M ajesty ever seen o r heard that a lion, the king o f beasts, rises to
w clcom c jackals w hen it sees them ?”
“N o . ”
“Has Your Majesty ever seen or heard that Sakra receives his cclestial sub­
jects or that B rahm a salutes his celestial subjects?”
“N o .”
“Has Y our M ajesty ever seen or heard that the god of a vast occan pays
hom age to gods o f rivers and ponds?”
“N o . ”
“Has Y our M ajesty ever seen or heard that the king of Sumeru, [the un­
equaled m ountain,] pays hom age to kings of hills?”
“N o . ”
“Has Your M ajesty ever seen or heard that gods of the sun or the m oon
salute fireflies7”
“N o .”
T he maiden said, “Therefore, Y our Majesty, w h y should a Bodhisattva,
w ho in great kindness and compassion has vow ed to pursue suprem e enlighten­
ment, pay hom age to Sravakas o f the Hlnayana, w ho have neither great kindness
n o r great compassion? Y our Majesty, w h y should one w ho follows the path
; leading to supreme enlightenment, w ho is like a lion, the king o f beasts, salute
* those w h o follow the Hlnayana, w h o are like jackals?3
“Y o u r Majesty, if one is already engaged in a vigorous effort to seek the
 F e a rle ss V ir tu e 's A tt a i n m e n t of B uddhahood 117

great, pure path, should he associate w ith Sravakas o f small and few good roots?
“Y o ur Majesty, if a person wishes to go to a sea o f great w isdom to seek a
tho rou g h know ledge of the great D harm a in its entirety, does he bother to turn to
Sravakas, whose knowledge, based on the Buddha's oral teachings, is as limited as
the w ater in a co w ’s hoofprint?4
“Y our Majesty, if one wishes to reach Buddhahood, (the spiritual] M o u n t
Sumeru, and acquirc the infinite b ody o f a Tathagata, should he pay hom age to
Sravakas, w h o seek only as m uch sam adhi pow er as could be confincd in the space
o f a tiny m ustard seed?
“Y our Majesty, [the m erits and w isdom of] Sravakas m ay be com pared to
[the light of] a firefly, bccause their illumination can only benefit themselves, and
their understanding o f D harm a comcs only through hearing the Buddha's oral
teachings. If a person has already learned o f the merits and w isdom o f Tathagatas,
w hich m ay be likened to sunlight and m oonlight, should he salute Sravakas?
“Y our Majesty, I will not pay hom age to Sravakas even after the B uddha
enters nirvana, let alone now , w h en the W orld-H onored O ne still rem ains in the
w orld. W hy?
“Y o ur Majesty, the reason is: one w h o associates closely w ith Sravakas will
vow to attain Sravakahood; one w h o associates closely w ith Pratyekabuddhas will
vow to attain Pratyekabuddhahood; one w h o associates closely w ith the supremely
enlightened one will v o w to attain supreme enlightenm ent.”
After saying this, Fearless Virtue spoke in verse to her father, King Ajata-
satru:

“Like a person w h o ventures

[To seek a fortune] at sea
And yet returns with one coin only;
So, prcciscly, do Sravakas behave.
H aving rcachcd the great ocean o f Dharm a,
T hey disregard the treasures o f the Mahayana,
A nd engender only the narrow aspiration
T o follow the H lnayana path.
If a person associates closely w ith a king,
A nd enjoys free access to the palace,
B ut asks that king for only one coin,
His intim acy w ith the king is in vain.
If one, w ith a respectful mind,
Keeps close to a universal m onarch
A nd asks him for millions o f taels o f gold
T o help num erous p oor people,
His intim acy w ith the king is indeed fruitful.
E m ptin ess

T o the person w h o asks for one coin

A Sravaka m ay be compared;
Instead o f seeking true liberation,
H e pursues only a m in o r nirvana.
If one engenders a n a rro w aspiration,
Seeking his o w n deliverance only, not others ’，
Then, ju st like a m in o r doctor
W h o can only cure himself,
He deserves no respect from the wise.
A great skillful healer,
W ith a kind and compassionate heart,
A nd a com m and o f all m ethods o f treatment,
C an heal vast numbers o f the sick,
W inning respect'and a good reputation.
Similarly, those w h o bring forth bodhicitta
C an cure all beings’ afflictions .'、
Y o ur Majesty, a grove of castor-oil plants
Gives forth no flow er’s fragrance
A nd provides no good shade; likewise,
A Sravaka does n o t resolve to save the world.
H o w e ve r, a Bodhisattva can benefit all,
Like a huge tree giving shelter.
Small brooks can be dried up
B y the flames o f the au tu m n sun
Before th ey rcach the ocean,
A nd so cannot nurture m yriad beings.6
The Sravaka-path, like [the w ater in]
The narrow , lowly hoofprint of a cow,
C anno t eliminate the afflictions o f sentient beings.
U p o n a sm all hill
O ne cannot acquire a golden-hued body;
It is upon M o u n t Sumeru
That everyone appears golden.7
Y our M ajesty, Bodhisattvas are like M o u n t Sumeru;
Bccause th ey stay in the w orld,
Beings can be liberated
A nd have bodies o f the same hue.8
Bodhisattvas are endow ed with all-know ing w isdom ,
W hich, like productive land,
 F earless V ir t u e 's A t t a in m e n t of B uddhahood

Can support numberless beings;

B ut the w isdom o f Sravakas,
W ho do not realize the Dharm a,
Is like the m orning dew,
Incapable o f moistening the w o rld .9
A Sravaka is like a dew drop on a flower.
W hile a Bodhisattva is like a d o w n p o u r
O r the nurturing w ater o f a vast lake;10
A ll those w h o associate closcly w ith him
Will attain the great Dharm a.
M en and w o m en do n o t enjoy
The rhododendron,
W hich has no scent,
But all enjoy the w onderful fragrance
O f the campaka flow er11
A nd the blue lotus.
A Sravaka is like a rhododendron flower;
His w isdom cannot help sentient beings.
A Bodhisattva is like a campaka flower;
O u t o f his compassion,
H e can convert num erous beings.
Y o u r Majesty, do you k n o w
W hich is m ore unusual:
O n e w h o dwells in th e wilderness
O r one w h o benefits m any people?
T o provide security to countless beings
A nd ferry them over [the occan o f sarhsara],
Y ou should bring forth bodhicitta^
A nd not follow the path of the tw o v ehicles..
Just as a good guide can show —
、

The right w ay to people lost in the wilderness,

So can Bodhisattvas
[Guide others out o f sarhsara].
Y o u r Majesty, have you ever seen
A small raft sailing across a vast ocean?
O n ly a huge ship can do so,
C arrying num erous beings.
Y o u r Majesty, while a Sravaka is like a raft,
A Bodhisattva is like a huge ship;
After being perm eated w ith the D harm a
120 O n E m p tiness

W hile cultivating the path,

H e can ferry sentient beings
O v er the occan o f hunger and thirst.
Y o u r Majesty, have you ever seen
A m an fighting a battle on a do n k ey '
O n e can w in a battle
O n ly on an elephant or a horse.
! A Sravaka is like a donkey,
W hile a Bodhisattva is like a dragon or an elephant.
H e defeats dem ons under the bodhi-tree
A nd delivers countless beings [from sariisara].
In the nocturnal sky,
All the stars fall into shadow
W hen the full m o o n rises
T o illuminate every corner o f the world.
A Sravaka is like a star,
While a Bodhisattva is like the full m oon;
O u t o f compassion for sentient beings,
H e show s them the w ay to nirvaiia.
T he light o f a firefly
Cannot help a person work,
But w hen the sun illuminates the earth
All activities can proceed.
A Sravaka, like the glow o f a firefly,
C an no t benefit m any,
B u t a Buddha, endow ed w ith the light o f liberation,
Has compassion for all beings.
A jackal cannot by its how l
Frighten the king o f beasts;
B u t w h en the lion roars,
Flying birds fall d o w n w ith fear.
Y our Majesty, Sravakas fail
T o b rin g forth bodhicitta;
T h ey eliminate afflictions,
But n o t to benefit sentient beings.
Seeing this, I do n o t v o w to becom e a Sravaka.
Since I have already engendered the great resolve,
W h y should I n o w m ake a small vow?
Y our Majesty, if one w h o is fortunate enough
T o obtain a hum an b ody
 F e a r l e s s V i r t u e ’s A t t a i n m e n t of B uddhahood 121

C an cherish the unexcelled resolve

T o save all beings from samsara,
A nd give up the Hinayana path,
H e will have a good hum an body,
And also good fortune.
It is best, if born in this world,
T o bring forth the unexcelled resolve:
T o seek the suprem e path
A nd deliver all living beings.
H e w h o can help him self and others
Is well w o rth extolling; ,
H e will acquire w orldly renow n
As well as the ultim ate truth.
Therefore, I do not salute the Sravakas.

Then, King Ajatasatru reproached Fearless Virtue, saying, “ You arrogant

girl! H o w dare you n o t w elcom e these Sravakas w h en you see them ?”
T h e m aiden said, "D o not say that, Y our Majesty. Y our M ajesty is ar­
rogant, too. W hy do you not w elcom c the poor o f the city o f R5jag;*ha?”
T he king answered, “T h ey are n o t m y peers. W h y should I w elcom c them ?”
T h e m aiden said, “A novice Bodhisattva is also like that. N o Sravaka or
Pratyckabuddha is his peer•”
The king asked his daughter, “D o you not know that Bodhisattvas respect
all sentient beings?”
Fearless Virtue answered, “ Y our Majesty, a Bodhisattva respccts th e m all in
o rd er to save arrogant, irate beings and m ak e them tu rn their m inds tow ard
(universal enlightenment]. It is in order to augm ent sentient beings’ good roots
that a Bodhisattva extends rcspcct to all. H ow ever, Sravakas are 丨already! ^rcc of
anger and hatred and are ur；able to increase their good roots. Y our Majesty, even
though hundreds o f thousands of Buddhas explain the w onderful D harm a to them ,
they will n o t im prove in discipline, m editation, and samadhi.
“ Y our Majesty, a Sravaka is like a piece o f lapis lazuli [unable to contain
anything], but a Bodhisattva is like a precious container. Y our Majesty, a bottle
which is full cannot take in even a drop o f rain from the sky. In the same way, a
Sravaka, even after hundreds of thousands o f Buddhas, Tathagatas, explain the
wonderful D h arm a to him , cannot be helped to im prove in discipline, meditation,
w isdom , and so forth; n o r can he causc sentient beings to aspire to all-know ing
w isdom .
“Y our M ajesty, a vast ocean can receivc the w ate r o f rivers, rains, and so
forth. W hy? Becausc it is an im m easurable container. Y our Majesty, w hen a great
Bodhisattva teaches the D harm a, those w h o listen will be greatly helped and all
122 O n E m ptin ess

their good roots will increase. Why? Bccausc the Bodhisattvas arc vessels contain­
ing mtlnitc kinds o f [bcncficial] discourses.”
H earing his daughter saying this, King Ajatasatru sank into silcncc. A t that
tunc, X'cncrablc Sariputra thought, “Fearless Virtue is so eloquent that she can
deliver this boundless discourse. Let m e step forw ard to ask her a few questions; I
will find out w hether she has realized the tru th .， ’
T hereupon, he approachcd the maiden and asked, “D o you abide in the
Sravaka-vchiclc?”
Fearless Virtue answered, “N o . ”
“D o you abide in the Pratyckabuddha-vchiclc?"
“N o . ”
“D o you abide in the Great Vchiclc (M ahayana)?’’
“N o . ”
Sariputra asked further, “Then, in w hat vchicle do you abide that you arc
able to m ake such a lion’s roar?”
T he m aiden answered V enerable Sariputra, “If I w ere abiding in anything
now , it w ould be impossible for m e to m ake a lion’s roar. Sincc I abide in nothing,
I can m ake a lion’s roar. H ow ever, Sariputra, you asked: ‘In w h at vchiclc do you
abide?’ Docs the D harm a realized and achieved by you, Sariputra, consist o f differ­
ent vchiclcs, such as the Sravaka-vchiclc, the Pratyckabuddha-vchiclc, and the
Great Vchiclc?"
Sariputra said, “ Please listen to me. T he D harm a I have realized has no such
distinct signs as ‘vchiclc’ or ‘non-vchiclc， ’ bccausc it has only one sign, namely,
signlcssncss.”
“Venerable Sariputra, if the D harm a is signless, how can it be sought?"
“Fearless Virtue, w h at is the diffcrcncc in cxccllcncc betw een th e D h arm a o f
Buddhas and the dharm as o f ordinary persons?”
“W hat is the diffcrcncc betw een emptiness and quicsccncc?”
“There is no diffcrcncc."
“ Sariputra, ju st as there is no diffcrcncc in cxccllcncc betw een emptiness and
quicsccncc, so there is no diffcrcncc in cxccllcncc betw een the D harm a o f Buddhas
and the dharm as o f ordinary persons. Furtherm ore, Sariputra, ju st as spacc, while
em bracing all forms, is not different from them , so the D h arm a o f Buddhas is not
different from the dharm as o f o rdinary persons, n o r can the tw o be distinguished
by signs.”
T hen Venerable M ahamaudgalyayana asked Fearless Virtue, 4tW hat diffcrcncc
do you see betw een a Buddha and a Sravaka that prevented you from stand­
ing up to w clcom c these great Sravakas, greet them , and yield y our scat to
them ?"
Fearless V irtue replied to M aham audgalyayana, 4tSravakas arc like stars,
which cannot illuminate anything dearly even th o u g h they arc everywhere through­
out a billion-w orld universe. W hen Sravakas enter dhyana, they have [enough]
w isdom to k n o w som ething, but w h en they do not enter dhyana, they k n o w
n o th in g ."
 F e a r l e s s V i r t u e ’s A t t a i n m e n t of B uddhahood 123

“B u t it is impossible to know the m inds o f sentient beings w ithout entering

dhySna!”
4tM aham audgalyayana, a B uddha can, w ithout entering dhyana, teach the
D h arm a according to the inclinations o f sentient beings and liberate th em in worlds
as num erous as the sands o f the Ganges, because he is proficient in reading sentient
beings’ minds. This marvelous deed o f Buddhas, Tathagatas, is quite beyond
Sravakas, w h o m ay be likened to the w eak lights o f stars. Furthermore, M aha­
m audgalyayana, can Sravakas k n o w h o w m an y w orlds are being form ed and h o w
m any are being destroyed?”
“N o, they cannot.”
''M aham audgalyayana, can Sravakas k n o w h o w m an y Buddhas have already
entered nirvana, h o w m an y will enter nirvaiia, and h o w m any are entering nir-
vapa?”
“N o , th ey cannot.”
''M aham audgalyayana, can Sravakas know h o w m an y sentient beings are
especially prone to desire, hatred, or ignorance, and how m an y are equally prone
to desire, hatred, and ignorance?”
“ N o, they can n o t.”
''M aham audgalyayana, can Sravakas k n o w h o w m an y sentient beings accept
the Sravaka-vehicle, h o w m an y accept the Pratyekabuddha-vehicle, and h o w m any
accept the Buddha-vehicle?”
“N o , they cannot•”
''M aham audgalyayana, can Sravakas k n o w h o w m an y sentient beings can be
delivered by Sravakas, h o w m an y can be delivered by Pratyekabuddhas, and h o w
m any can be delivered by Buddhas?”
“ N o, th ey cannot.”
''M aham audgalyayana, can Sravakas k n o w h o w m any sentient beings have
right view and have decided to pursue enlightenment, and h o w m an y have decided
to pursue heterodox teachings?”
“N o ，th e y cannot.”
Fearless Virtue said, “M ahamaudgalyayana, only the Tathagata, the Per­
fectly Enlightened One, understands the realm o f sentient beings as it is and can
skillfully explain the D harm a to them . This ability is quite beyond the dom ain of
Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, let alone other people. M aham audgalyayana, you
should k n o w that this unique ability o f the Tathagata results from his all-know ing
wisdom, w hich no Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha h as.”
T hen Fearless V irtue continued to Venerable M aham audgalyayana, “The
W o rld -H o n o red O n e often says that M ahamaudgalyayana stands first in m iracu­
lous powers. M ahamaudgalyayana, can you, by y our miraculous powers, reach
the w orld nam ed Fragrant Elephant and witness that the trees there all exude a
m ost w onderful fragrance, like that of sandalwood?”
M aham audgalyayana answered, “This is the first time I have heard the nam e
o f that w orld; h o w can I go there?” T h e n he asked the m aiden, “ W hat is the nam e
o f the B uddha w h o teaches the D h arm a in that w orld?”
124 O n E m p tin ess

The m aiden answered, “T h e B uddha w h o tcaches the D harm a there is named

Tathagata E m itting Fragrance and Light, the W o rth y One, the A ll-K now ing O ne."
M aham audgalyayana asked the maiden, “H o w can one see that Buddha?"
T hereupon, Fearless Virtue, remaining motionless o n her scat, m ade this
declaration: “If a m ere novice Bodhisattva truly surpasses all Sravakas and Pratye­
kabuddhas, m ay Tathagata E m itting Fragrance and Light, bccausc o f m y declara­
tion, appear here and causc the Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas present to see the
w orld named Fragrant Elephant and to smell the m ost w onderful fragrance, like
that o f sandalwood, exuding from the trees there!"
After Fearless Virtue had made this declaration, Tathagata E m itting Fra­
grance and Light gave forth a light from his bod y and, becausc o f that light, all the
Sravakas [with Fearless Virtue] saw the Fragrant Elephant W orld. T hat Buddha
was sitting behind a silken net and teaching the D harm a to Bodhisattvas and others
w ho surrounded him. His prcaching could be heard clearly by those w ith Fearless
Virtue. B y that B uddha’s miraculous powers, they also smelled the fragrance o f
the trees there, w h ich was like that o f the m o st exquisite sandalwood. T h e B u ddha
in th at w o rld said, “So it is, so it is, ju st as Fearless Virtue said. E ven th e initial
stage o f a Bodhisattva is beyond the dom ain o f Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas."
W hen this D harm a was being taught, Bodhisattva-M ahasattva Maitrcya, [on
M o u n t G rdhrakuta,] asked [Sakyamuni] Buddha, “W orld-H onored O n e, w h y is
there such a w onderful fragrance o f trees?”
T he Buddha said, “M aitreya，Fearless Virtue is discussing the D h arm a w ith
the Sravakas and has m ade a declaration. K n ow in g this, the B uddha o f the w orld
called Fragrant Elephant, by his miraculous powers, has causcd this fragrance to be
perceivcd and has revealed his land. T h e m ost w onderful fragrancc, like th at o f
sandalwood, issuing from there is n o w perm eating this billion-world universe.”
[In the palace,] Fearless Virtue said to M ahamaudgalyayana, “If a person sees
such an inconceivable, superb deed, and still has the narrow , inferior aspiration o f
a Sravaka, seeking o n ly to deliver himself, then you should k n o w that his good
roots arc very few and insignificant indeed. W ho w ould not bring forth bodhicitta
after seeing a Bodhisattva perform immeasurable m eritorious deeds?
“Maham audgalyayana, do you k n ow h o w far from here is that B uddha's
w orld?”
M aham audgalyayana answered, tlNo, I do not."
Fearless Virtue said, “M aham audgalyayana, it is absolutely impossible to
k n o w and see that B uddha's w orld w ith the aid o f [ordinary] miraculous powers
even in hundreds o f thousands o f kalpas. T he Fragrant Elephant W orld is located
in a placc as m any Buddha-lands aw ay from here as there are rccds and bushes in
all the forests in the w orld."
T hen that B uddha w ithdrew his light, and as a result, Fragrant Elephant
W orld and its Tathagata both disappeared suddenly.
T hereupon, Venerable M ahakasyapa asked Fearless Virtue, “Did you see
Fragrant Elephant W orld and that Tathagata, the W o rth y O ne, the A ll-K now ing
One?"
 F e a r l e s s V i r t u e ’s A t t a i n m e n t of B uddhahood 125

The m aiden answered, "Mahakasyapa, can the Tathagata be seen? The

B uddha has said, ‘T hose w h o see me by form or seek me by sound arc treading
the w ro n g path and can never see the T athagata.' Sincc the T athagatas5 bodies
arc no other than the D h arm a-b o d y , and the D harm a-body is beyond the reach
o f vision and hearing, h o w can the Tathagata be k n o w n or seen? The Buddha
will freely manifest any corporcal form to suit every sentient being; this is only
his ing en u ity.12
“H ow ever, Mahakasyapa, you asked me, ‘D id you see that w orld and that
Buddha, the Perfectly Enlightened One?’ I see that Buddha not with m y physical
eye, because he is n o t a form to be seen w ith the physical eye.11 I see that Buddha
not w ith the dcva-cyc, because he is free o f feeling. I see that B uddha not with the
w isd o m -ey e，becausc he is detached from conceptions. I see that B uddha not with
the D harm a-cyc, bccause he rises above impulse. I see that Buddha not w ith the
Buddha-eye, becausc he is beyond consciousness. M ahakasyapa, I see that Buddha
by purging the m ind o f ignorance, craving, and [all] views, ju st as Venerable
Mahakasyapa docs. M oreover, I see that Buddha [by eliminating] the view o f ‘I ，
and ‘m in e， ，ju st as Venerable M ahakasyapa docs.”
M ahakasyapa asked the maiden, “ If n o dharm a ever exists, h o w can igno­
rance, craving, and the T and ‘m ine’ arise, since no sentient being can be seen?”
Fearless Virtue asked in turn, “If no dharm a ever exists, h o w can anything
be seen?”
M ahakasyapa asked, “Is the B uddha-D harm a also ultimately nonexistent so
th at it, too, cannot be seen?” 14
Fearless Virtue then asked, “D o you see any g ro w th 15 of the B uddha-
D h arm a?”
M ahakasyapa answered, ‘‘I do not even k n ow the dharmas o f ordinary peo­
ple, let alone the B u d d h a-D h arm a.”
Fearless Virtue said, “So, Venerable Mahakasyapa, there being no Buddha-
D harm a, h o w can there be an interruption or resum ption o f it, as seen by those
w ho have not realized [Dharma-nature]? Mahakasyapa, all dharmas arc nonex­
istent, so they can never appear. If dharm as do n o t exist in the first place, h o w can
there be a pure dharm adhatu to be seen? Mahakasyapa, if good m en or good
w o m en w ish to see the pure Tathagata, they should first purify their ow n m in d s.”
Then, M ahakasyapa asked Fearless Virtue, “H o w can one purify well one’s
o w n m ind ?”
Fearless V irtue answered, 4tMahakasyapa, if one believes th at he h im self and
all dharm as are suchness and are therefore devoid o f action or loss,16 he will see the
p u rity o f his o w n m in d .”
Mahakasyapa asked, 4tW hat is the substance o f o n e’s o w n m ind?”
Fearless Virtue answered, “It is emptiness. If one realizes his m in d is em pty,
he will believe in [the emptiness of] himself; as a result, he will also have faith in
the em ptiness o f suchness, bccause all dharm as are by nature quiescent.” 17
Then, Venerable M ahakasyapa asked Fearless Virtue, "From w hich B uddha
did you hear this doctrinc, so that you acquired right view? T h e B uddha says that
126 O n E m p tiness

there arc tw o w ays to obtain right view: by hearing the D harm a explained by-
others. and by thinking within oneself:”
The maiden answered, tlM ahakasyapa, I acquired right view by first hearing
external discourses and afterwards thinking w ithin myself.
''M ahakasyapa, w ith o ut the help o f others，verbal teaching, how can a great
Bodhisattva abide in ultim ate quicsccncc?"18
M ahakasyapa said, “O n e rcflccts w ithin himself according to the D harm a he
has heard; this is the practicc o f contem plation.11 T hen M ahakasyapa asked the
m aiden further, “H o w docs a Bodhisattva rcflcct within himsclt?"
“Mahakasyapa, w h en a Bodhisattva joins other Bodhisattvas in preach­
ing the D harm a and in other D harm a activities、if he docs n o t pcrccivc any
form o f sentient beings, then he succccds in internal contemplation. Mahakasyapa,
all dharm as partake o f the past, present, and future bccausc all dharmas have
suchncss as their very substance and arc manitcstcd in suchncss. He w h o has
this insight is a Bodhisattva w h o has achieved internal contemplation. This you
should k n o w ."
“H o w can one be in h arm on y with dharm as?”
tlM ahakasyapa, one should view th em as suchncss, w ith o u t being attached
to th em or liberated from them ."
“W hat kind o f view is right view?"
“M ahakasyapa, right view is free from th e tw o extremes, is neither activc
nor inactive, and therefore is a view and yet n o t a view. Mahakasyapa, the
D harm a is only a name. It is actually apart from the name, bccausc D harm a [itself]
can never be realized.， ，19
T hen M ahakasyapa asked the maiden further, “H o w should o n e pcrccivc the
T?”
Fearless Virtue answered, “Just as Venerable M ahakasyapa docs.”
M ahakasyapa said, “I pcrccivc neither the T n o r ‘m in e .’”
Fearless V irtue said to Venerable M ahakasyapa, “O n e should pcrccivc all
dharm as in this way, for there is no T or ‘m ine.’”
W hen this doctrinc was spoken, Venerable Subhuti was ovcrjoye^ and -said to
Fearless Virtue’ “Y ou must have attained great insight to achicvc sucH cloqucnce. ,,2°
Fearless Virtue said to Venerable Subhuti, “ SubhQti, arc there such distinc­
tions as ‘attainable’ and ‘unattainable’ am ong dharmas, or is there anything that
can be sought? W hat causcs you to tell m e that I have well achieved such clo­
qucncc? In m y opinion, I have cloqucncc bccausc I pcrccivc nothing, internal or
external."
Subhuti at oncc asked the maiden, “W hat realization or D harm a enables you
to have such ready, w onderful cloqucncc?”
Fearless Virtue answered, “I do not k n o w by m yself or w ith the help o f
others the diffcrcncc betw een w holesom e dharm as and unw holesom e ones. K n o w ­
ing dharm as in this way, I see n othing im pure or pure，defiled or undcfilcd,
conditioned or unconditioned, m undane or supram undanc. I do n o t see any dhar-
 F e a rle ss V irtu e 's A tt a i n m e n t of B uddhahood 1 27

m a as a d harm a o f ordinary people, because every dharm a is the B u ddha-D harm a

in substance. Because I see no such distinctions, I have acquired the Buddha-
D h arm a w ith o u t seeing a Buddha. Subhuti, those w h o k n o w this and perceive no
such distinctions will have such eloquence."21
Subhuti asked, “W hat is eloquence?”
Fearless Virtue answered, “ Subhiiti, it is the elimination o f all your attain­
m en ts.v
Fearless Virtue continued to Venerable Subhuti, “A lth o u g h dharm as are
expressed, their substance is neither heard n o r attained. So it is w ith eloquence.”
T hen Fearless Virtue asked Venerable Subhuti, “C an one abide in the sub­
stance o f things? Can it increase or decrease? [If not,] h o w can one have clo-
quence?”
Subhuti at once answered, “[O ne can have eloquence] if he realizes that there
is no diffcrcnce between nondefilem ent and [all] dharmas, and that they are beyond
argum ent and expression, sincc the substance o f dharm as is inexpressible.”22
Fearless Virtue asked Venerable Subhuti, “All dharmas being so, w h y did
you say, ‘You m ust have gained great insight to achicvc such eloquence， ？”
Subhuti asked in turn, “ 【N o w , this very question o f yours— ] is it bccause
you have acquired cloqucncc that you are able to raise it, or becausc you have not
acquired eloquence?”
Fearless Virtue asked Venerable Subhuti, “D o you believe that all dharmas
are like echoes, as the B uddha says?”
Subhuti replied, “I believe it.”
Fearless Virtue asked, “Does an ccho have eloquence or not?”
Subhuti replied, “It is bccause there is a sound in the valley that an echo is
heard outside , 2 〗
Fearless Virtue said, “ Subhiiti, becausc there is a sound, there is an echo.
Does an echo have any entity or form? It has neither. W hy? Bccause that which
arises from causes and conditions does not [truly] arise.”
Subhuti said, “All dharm as arise from causcs and conditions.”
Fearless Virtue said, “N o dharm a arises in substancc or by nature.”
Subhuti asked, “If all dharm as are ultim ately nonexistent in substance and by
nature, how can the Tathagata say, ‘Sentient beings as num erous as the sands o f
the Ganges will attain su p rem e enlightenm ent and becom e B u d d h as， ？”
Fearless Virtue asked in turn, “C a n the dharm adhatu arise?”
Subhuti replied, “N o, it cannot.”
Fearless Virtue said, “ All Buddhas, Tathagatas, are the nature and form o f
the dharm adhatu.
Subhuti said, “ I do not perceive any dharm adhatu.
Fearless Virtue said, “T h e B uddha always teachcs ‘nonarising， 24 in his dis­
courses, yet he says that sentient beings as num erous as the sands o f the Ganges
will attain suprem e enlightenm ent and becom e Buddhas. W hat does this mean?
W h y does he say so? Actually all his discourses are n o t discourses, because the
128 O n E m p tin ess

dharm adhatu neither arises n o r ceases— it is ultimately pure, for it is not an event;
it is beyond all w ords and expressions and apart from [mundane] reality.”
Subhuti said, “H o w extraordinary you are! A lthough you lead a lay life, you
can explain the D h arm a v ery skillfully and have inexhaustible eloquence•”
Fearless Virtue said, "Subhuti, a Bodhisattva’s eloqucncc has nothing to do
w ith acquisition or nonacquisition, learning or nonlcarning, renouncing the house­
hold life or not renouncing it. W hy? Because a B odhisattva’s w isdom comcs from
purity o f m ind, and along w ith his w isdom , eloquence appears.”
Fearless V irtue said to Venerable Subhuti, "N o w , let us discuss the B odhi­
sattvas1 p ra c tic e s,
Subhuti said, “ Speak, and I will listen.”
Fearless Virtue said, "Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva has achieved eight things, it
m akes no diffcrcncc w hether he rcnounccs the household life or not. W h a t arc the
eight?
(1) T o acquire purity o f body and deep faith in bodhi;
(2) to have great kindness and compassion, and never to forsake any sentient
being;
(3) to m aster all w orldly affairs because o f great kindness and compassion;
(4) to be able to give up life and limb and achieve ingenuity;
(5) to be able to m ake infinite vows;
6
( ) to consum m ate the practice o f the paramita o f w isdom and be detached
from all views;
(7) to have great couragc and vigor to cultivate good karm as w ith o u t satia­
tion; and
( 8) to acquire unhindered w isdom as a result o f attaining the Realization o f
the N onarising o f D harm as.
Subhuti, if a B odhisattva has achieved these eight things, it makes no difference
w hether he renounces the household life or not. H e can abide in bodhi w ithout
hindrance, w hether he walks, stands, sits, or lies d o w n .”
T h en Venerable Rahula said to Fearless Virtue, “Y our discourse is n o t pure.
Y ou w ear jew elled shoes and sit on a high couch while discussing the D harm a
w ith these Sravakas. H ave you not heard that one should not explain the D harm a
to those w h o are n o t sick while sitting on a high couch?”
T h ereu p o n , Fearless V irtue asked Rahula, “D o you really k n o w w h at is pure
and w h at is impure? Venerable Rahula, is this w orld pure?”
Rahula replied, “It is neither pure n o r im pure, Fearless V irtue,25 those w h o
accept and practice the precepts set forth by the Tathagata and then break them can
be said to be pure o r impure, b u t those w h o never break the precepts are neither
pure n o r im p u re .”
Fearless V irtue said, “Stop! Stop! D o n o t say so. Those w h o practice the
D harm a as taught and the precepts as set forth can be said to be impure, [whether
they later break the precepts or not]. Rahula, those w h o have realized the undefiled
 F e a r l e s s V i r t u e ’s A t t a i n m e n t of Buddhahood 129

D h arm a can never break the precepts, and therefore they arc neither pure nor
im pure. W h y so? Because such Sravakas have transcended the D harm a and the
precepts; it is for the Sravakas in the three realms w ho are still in the learning stage
th at the T athagata teaches the D harm a, w hile those Sravakas [who have tran­
scended the Dharm a and the precepts] have also transcended the three realms. In
this sense, w e speak o f transcending or not transcending the three realms. Since
som e people are ig n o ran t o f the [true nature of] precepts, purity and im purity are
m entioned, [though they, like] em pty space, are n othing but expressions. This can
only be seen by means o f w isdom . It is in this light that purity and im purity can be
spoken o f.”
Rahula asked, “W hat is the difference betw een purity and im purity?”
Fearless Virtue asked in turn, “Is a piece o f stainless, real gold used as an
ornam ent different from another piece n o t used as an ornam ent?”
Rahula answered, “N o, it is n o t.”
Fearless Virtue said, “Purity and im purity are different in nam e only, not in
other respects. Why? Because by nature, all things are free from filth; they have no
contam ination or attachm ent.”
Fearless Virtue continued to Venerable Rahula, “ You said that one should
not teach the D h arm a while sitting on a high, broad couch. A Bodhisattva sitting
on a grass seat surpasses those sitting on high couches and Sravakas in the B rahm a
Heaven. ”
Rahula asked, “W h y so?”
Fearless V irtue asked in turn, “Rahula, on w h at k ind o f seat does a B odhi­
sattva attain bodhi?”
Rahula replied, “O n a grass seat.”
Fearless Virtue said, “W hen a Bodhisattva sits o n a grass seat, Sakra, B rah­
ma, the four deva kings w h o protect the w orld, and other gods in the billion-
w orld universe, including the gods o f Akanistha Heaven, all com e to pay hom age
to him w ith their palms joined; th ey com e to him and b o w w ith their heads at his
feet.”
Rahula said, “ It is so, it is so .”
Then, Fearless Virtue asked Rahula, 44[Therefore,] does not such a B odhi­
sattva, w h o sits on a grass seat, surpass others sitting on high, spacious couches,
and Sravakas in the B rahm a H eaven?”
A t that tim e，King Ajatasatru asked Fearless Virtue, “D o you n o t k n o w that
[Rahula] is the son o f Sakyam uni Tathagata and that he stands first in discipline?”
Fearless V irtue said to her royal father, “ Please, Y o u r Majesty, do n o t say
that Rahula is the son o f the Tathagata! Y o u r Majesty, have you ever seen or
heard that a lion gives birth to a jackal?”
“N e v e r.”
“ Y our Majesty, have you ever seen or heard that a universal m onarch pays
h o m ag e to m in o r kings?”
“ N ev er.”
130 O n E m p tiness

"Y our Majesty, w hen the Tathagata, like the king o f lions, turns the great
D harm a-w heel, Sravakas gather around him. Y our Majesty, w h o arc the true sons
ot the Tithagatar As far as the true D harm a is concerned, the answ er should be
•Bodhisattvas.’ Therefore, Y o u r Majesty, do not say that the Tathagata has a son
or not. It the Tathagata has any true son, it is one w h o brings forth supreme
bodhicitta. ”
When this doctrine was spoken, tw en ty thousand ladies in the palace of King
Ajatasatru b ro u g h t forth bodhicitta. T w e n ty thousand gods w h o w ere satisfied
w ith the doctrine [Fearless V irtue taught] also b ro u g h t forth bodhicitta after hear­
ing her m ake a lion’s roar.
T he king said, “These people are the sons o f past, present, and future B u d ­
dhas. H o w can those w h o study the Sravaka precepts to free them selves from
afflictions be the true sons o f the Tathagata?”
T hereupon, the gods scattered flowers around the B uddha and all over the
city o f Rajagrha as an offering to the m aiden Fearless Virtue.
Then, Fearless Virtue stepped d o w n from her couch and paid hom age to
those Sravakas.26 She gave th em various kinds o f delicious, fragrant food and drink
as offerings, all according to the rules. After m aking offerings, she said, “I do not
k n o w w h y you venerable Sravakas left the Tathagata and came here so early in the
m orning. Y ou should go out to beg for food only after hearing the D harm a
explained. Please go back. I shall be there in a m o m e n t.”
T hereupon, Fearless Virtue, together with her royal father and m o th er and
surro u n ded by countless people o f Rajagrha, w en t to see the T athagata that m o rn ­
ing. T h ey all bow ed w ith their heads at the B u d d h a’s feet and sat d o w n to one
side. T h e Sravakas also returned to the Buddha, bow ed w ith their heads at the
B uddha's feet, and sat d o w n to one side.
Then, Venerable Sariputra said to the Buddha, “W orld -H o n o red O ne, Fear­
less Virtue is marvelous; she has acquired m any blessings and great benefits.”
The B uddha told Venerable Sariputra, “Fearless Virtue has [long ago] brought
forth bodhicitta and has planted good roots in the presence o f nine billion past
Buddhas in order to seek the supreme enlightenm ent o f the B u d d h a.”
Sariputra asked, “W orld-H onored One, can she change herself into a man?"
T h e B uddha said, t4Sariputra, do you consider her as female? D o n o t take
such a view. W hy? Because it is by virtue o f his v o w that this Bodhisattva reveals
him self in a female form to w in sentient beings over to the D h a rm a .”
T hereupon, Fearless Virtue m ade this declaration: “If no dharm a is m ascu­
line o r feminine, then, m ay I n o w change into a m an in full view o f all the people
here!”
After she said this, her female b o d y changed im mediately into a male one.
She ascended in midair to a height o f seven palm trees one above another, and
stayed there.
T hen, the W o rld-H on o red O n e asked Venerable Sariputra, t4Sariputra, do
you see Bodhisattva Fearless V irtu e staying in midair?”
 F e a rle ss V ir tu e 's A tt a i n m e n t of B uddhahood 131

Sariputra answered, "Yes, I do, W orld-H onored O n e .”

T he B uddha said, ''Sariputra, Bodhisattva Fearless Virtue will attain su­
prem e enlightenm ent after seven thousand m yriads o f kalpas, and will be nam ed
Undefiled Tathagata, the W o rth y O ne, the A ll-K now ing One. His w orld will be
called Bright, and his life span will be one hundred kalpas. His true D harm a will
prevail for ten kalpas [after his parinirvana]. H e will have an assembly o f thirty-
thousand monastic Bodhisattvas, all o f w h o m have reached the stage o f nonregres­
sion. T he g round o f his w orld will be m ade o f clear lapis lazuli and adorned by­
eight row s o f m agnificent lotus flowers. T he names o f the miserable planes o f
existence will be u n k n o w n there. His w orld will be full o f gods. Sariputra, those
gods will enjoy w onderful pleasures and the flavor o f the suprem e Dharm a, as do
the gods in Tusita H eav en .”
Bodhisattva Fearless V irtu e’s m other, nam ed M oonlight, had come to the
B uddha w ith K ing Ajatasatru. [After the B uddha had spoken,] she said to him
w ith her palms joined, “W orld-H onored O ne, I have gained great benefit* I was
pregnant w ith this child for nine m onths, and n o w this good child makes a lion’s
roar. I n o w dedicate m y good roots to the attainm ent o f suprem e enlightenm ent,
so that I m ay attain supreme enlightenm ent in the Bright W orld o f Undefiled
Tathagata in the future.”
T hereupon, the B uddha asked Venerable Sariputra, ''Sariputra, do you see
this w o m an n o w ?”
Sariputra replied, “Yes, I d o .”
T he B uddha said, ''Sariputra, this w om an, M oonlight, will be reborn in the
H eaven o f the T h irty -T h re e after death and will be nam ed Intense Light. W hen
Bodhisattva M aitreya attains bodhi, this god Intense Light will be the eldest, m o st
p ro m in en t son o f K ing O th e r View. After the prince makes offerings to M aitreya
B uddha, he will renounce the household life. H e will be able to rem em b er and
practice the D h arm a taught by M aitreya Buddha from beginning to end. H e will
see all the B uddhas o f the W o rth y Kalpa and m ake offerings to them one by one.
Then, w hen Bodhisattva Fearless Virtue attains suprem e enlightenm ent and be­
comes Undefiled Tathagata, the god Intense Light will be an em peror possessing
the seven treasures, nam ed H older o f the Earth. A fter he makes offerings to the
Tathagatas, he will also attain suprem e enlightenm ent and be nam ed Universal
L ight Tathagata, the W o rth y O ne, the A ll-K now ing O ne. H e will establish a
B uddha-land exactly like that m entioned before.”
U p o n hearing this, Q ueen M oo n lig h t was overw helm ed with joy. She took
o ff her exquisite necklace o f precious stones, w hich cost hundreds o f thousands o f
taels o f gold, and offered it to th e Buddha. W ith th e k in g ’s permission, she re­
ceived the five h undred precepts [for nuns] and began to lead a pure life.
T hen, Bodhisattva Fearless V irtue said to th e Tathagata, “M a y Bodhisattvas,
by virtue o f m y vow , be reb o rn by transform ation w earing m onastic robes w hen I
attain bodhi in the future! May the Tathagata, because o f m y vow , now give m e
th e appearance o f a y o u n g m o n k ordained for eight years!”
132 O n E m ptiness

Im m ediately after Bodhisattva Fearless Virtue uttered these w ords, she

changed into a fully dignified m onk dressed in a monastic robe.
T hen Bodhisattva Fearless Virtue suddenly changed back to her original
appearance and said to her father, King Ajatasatru, “Y o ur Majesty, all dharmas are
like this: they arc apart from the form s caused by all discriminations and they defy
all misconceptions. N o w , Y our Majesty, I have revealed m yself again in the form
ot a maiden. D oes Y o u r M ajesty see m e?”
T h e kin g answered, “Yes, I do, but I do n o t (know h o w to| see you as you
physically appear, because I ju st saw you as a m o n k, before seeing you n o w as a
m aiden again•”
The B uddha said to the king, “Y our Majesty, w hich torm is the true one?
Y ou should learn to abide by right view regarding all dharmas. Sentient beings arc
burning w ith afflictions becausc they do not understand the pow er o f D harm a.
N o t understanding the po w er o f D harm a, they doubt w h at should not be doubted.
Therefore, you should often keep close to the Tathagata and the youthful B o d h i­
sattva M anjusrl, because the awe-inspiring p o w e r o f that B odhisattva’s virtue will
enable Y our M ajesty to repent y our m isdeeds.”
Then, the Buddha told Ananda, “Y ou should acccpt and practicc the D harm a-
D oor o f the Prophecy o f Bodhisattva Fearless V irtue’s A ttainm ent o f Buddhahood.
Read and recite it and do not forget it. Ananda, a good man or a good woman
m ay give to the Buddhas enough o f the seven treasures to fill a billion-w orld
universe; how ever, another person will surpass him in blessing if he can accept and
practice even one scntcncc or stanza o f the D h arm a-D o o r o f the Prophccy o f
Bodhisattva Fearless V irtue’s A ttainm ent o f B uddhahood after hearing it explained—
not to mention those w h o read and recite the entire sutra, explain it w idely to
others, and practice it as ta u g h t.”
W hen the Tathagata had spoken the D h arm a-D o o r o f the Prophccy of B o­
dhisattva Fearless Virtue's A ttainm ent o f Buddhahood, Q ueen M oonlight, Fearless
V irtu e’s m other; and all the gods, dragons, asuras, and so forth w ere jubilant over
the B u d d h a’s teaching. T h ey accepted it w ith faith and began to practice it w ith
veneration.

NOTES
1. Also a name fo r M o u n t Sumeru. It has the general m eaning o f ‘lofty， .
2. A lso the n a m e o f a star, w hich is believed to cause eclipses o f the sun and m oon.
3. T his paragrap h is a free translation. Som e apparently irrelevant w o rd s in the orig­
inal text have been deleted. This and m any other passages in this sutra are extrem ely obscure
and difficult to understand. T he translators had to resort to som e w ha t arbitrary interpreta­
tions and free translations for the sake o f readability.
 F e a r l e s s V i r t u e ’s A t t a i n m e n t of B uddhahood 133

4. Free translation.
5. T h e lines in these tw o stanzas have been altered in scquencc for clarity. Also, som e
redundant w ords in the original have been deleted.
6. These tw o lines arc freely translated.
7. A ccording to the m yth, M o u n t Sum eru has four sides, each side m ade o f a valuable
substance. It is said that one w h o approaches a side o f the mountain will acquirc the color o f
that side; e.g., the b o d y o f one w h o approaches the side m ade ot gold will bccom e golden in
color.
8. T h at is, beings can acquire the “color” o f liberation by associating w ith liberated
Bodhisattvas.
9. T he sequence in this stanza has been rearranged.
10. Literally, “o c can.”
11. A fragrant yellow flower.
12. T h e original text o f this passage is com plex and obscure. W c have rendered it
freely.
13. See N um erical Glossary, “five kinds o f eyes.” H e re each type o f eye is associated
w ith one o f the five aggregates.
14. Literally, “If all the B u d d h a -D h a rm a is ultim ately nonexistent, h o w can it be
seen ?，，
15. T his could be interpreted to m ean ‘change， .
16. T h is refers to the doctrinc that w ithin the d h a rm a d h atu nothing is actually done,
no change occurs, and nothing is gained or lost, for all is suchncss itself:
17. Alternate translation: “It is emptiness. If one realized emptiness as a result o f
believing in the quiescent n a tu re o f h im self and all dharmas, he will believe in the emptiness
o f suchm ’ss. ”
18. Alternate translation: “ Mahakasyapa, a great Bodhisattva neither depends on oth ers’
w ords, no r on any verbal teaching; h o w can it be said that lie abides in ultim ate quiescencc?”
19. This is a typical exam ple o f tlic Prajnaparam ita explanation o f “th o ro u g h cm pti-
iiess ，，，i.e ., there is not even such a thing as “D h a rm a ” to be realized.
20. Literally, “Y ou m ust be skilled at gaining great benefit to achieve such eloqucncc .，，
21. I hese three sentences are freely rendered; the text is confusing.
22. T his is a free translation; the text is not clear.
23. Literally, “Bccause o f the inner sound there is an echo outside.”
24. Literally, “nondefilemciit. ” This m ay be a m isprint in the Chinese text.
25. T ex t has “Fearless Virtue said," w hich is probably incorrcct, so w c have deleted
“said. ”
26. It is n o te w o rth y that this text advises paying h o m age to Hinayana m o n k 1,, even if
one follows the M ahayana.
 8 文殊師利普門會

The Universal Dharma-Door to the

Inconceivable

Thus have I heard. O nce the B uddha was dwelling on M o u n t G rdhrakuta near
Rajagrha, accom panied by eight hundred great m onks and forty-tw o thousand
Bodhisattvas. A t that time, Bodhisattva Undefiled Store descended from the sky,
surrounded rcspcctfully by ninety-tw o thousand other Bodhisattvas.
T hen the W o rld -H o n o red O n e told the assembly, “These Bodhisattvas w ere
urged by Universal Flow er Tathagata, in the w orld called E very Pure Deed, to
com e to this Saha W orld in order to hear and accept from m e the Universal
D h a rm a -D o o r to the Inconccivablc. O th e r Bodhisattvas will also com c to this
assembly. ”
As soon as the W orld -H o n o red One had finished saying this, innum erable
Bodhisattvas camc from this and other w orlds and gathered on M o u n t G rdhra­
kuta. After prostrating themselves w ith their heads at the B u d d h a’s feet, they
w ithdrew and stood to one side.
T h en Bodhisattva Undefiled Store approachcd the Tathagata, bearing in his
hand a thousand-petalled lotus flow er m ade o f the seven treasures. H e bow ed
d o w n w ith his head at the B u d d h a’s feet and said, “W o rld-H onored O ne, U n i­
versal Flow er T athagata in the w orld called E very Pure D eed offers you this
prccious flo w er and asks m e to convcy to you his infinite good wishes. H e inquires
w hether you are enjoying good health, freedom from afflictions, and ease and
peacc in life.” After saying this, the Bodhisattva ascended in m idair and sat there in
the position o f meditation.
From am o n g the assembly, Bodhisattva-M ahasattva M anjusri rose from his

Sutra 10，Taisho 310, pp. 158-163; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.

 T he U niversa l D harma- door 1 35

seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms respect­
fully, and said to the Buddha, “I rem em ber that very long ago I heard Universal
Lam p B uddha prcach the Universal D h a rm a -D o o r to the Inconceivable. Right
then, I acquired eight hu n d red forty billion myriads o f samadhis, and could also
understand seventy-seven trillion m yriads o f samadhis. W orld-H onored O ne, m ay
you, o u t o f sy m p ath y for the Bodhisattvas, explain this doctrine to th e m .”
T hereupon, the B uddha told M anjusri, “N o w ，listen attentively and think
well about this. I am going to explain it to y o u .”
Maiijusrl said, “ Yes, W orld-H onored One. w c shall gladly listen.”
T h e B uddha said, “If a Bodhisattva wishes to learn this doctrine, he should
cultivate these samadhis: the Form -Im age Samadhi, the Sound-Im age Samadhi, the
Scent-Imagc Samadhi, the Taste-Im age Samadhi, the T ouch-Im age Samadhi, the
M in d -O b jcct Samadhi, the W om an-Im age Samadhi, the M an-Im age S a m a d h i,. . .
the D cva-Im agc Samadhi, . . . the A m m al-Im agc Samadhi, . . . the Desirc-Image
Samadhi, the H atred-Im agc Samadhi, the Ignorancc-Im agc Samadhi, the Samadhi
o f U n w h o leso m e D harm as, the Samadhi o f W holesom e Dharm as, the Samadhi o f
C onditioned D harm as, and the Samadhi o f U nconditioned D harm as. M anjusri, if
a Bodhisattva realizes all these samadhis, he has already learned this doctrine.
“First, Manjusri, w h at is the Form -Im age Samadhi?”
T h e W o rld -H o n o red O n e explained in verse:

“Consider form to be ju st like foam —

D evoid o f substancc,
A nd thus impossible to grasp.
This is called the Form -Im age Sam adhi.”

T he B uddha continued, 4tMafijusrI, w h at is the Sound-Im agc Samadhi?”

T he W orld -H o n o red O n e explained in verse:

“Regard sound as an ccho in a valley,

Inapprehensible by nature.
All dharmas arc like that,
Free o f essencc and difference—
T o k now them all to be quiescent
Is called the Sound-Image Samadhi.

“ Furtherm ore, Manjusri, w h at is the Scent-Imagc Samadhi?”

T he W orld-H onored O n e explained in verse:

“Just as the ocean

Insatiably engulfs all rivers,
So one can smell various scents constantly,
Even for hundreds o f thousands o f kalpas.
136 O n E m p tin ess

If the scents w ere real,

O ne w ould soon have o n e’s fill.
Yet, because they are m ere arbitrary names,
T h ey have no reality to be grasped.
Just as sccnts cannot be grasped,
The nose, too, has no [true] existence.
T o k n o w them all as em pty
A nd quiescent by nature
Is called the Scent-Image Samadhi.

“M oreover, Manjusri, w h at is the Tastc-Imagc Samadhi?”

T h e W orld -H o n o red O n e explained in verse:

44All that is tasted by the tongue,

W hether salty, sour, or o f som e other taste,
Arises from dependent generation,
A nd by nature does not [truly] exist.
T o k n o w that flavors arise
F rom a com bination o f causes and conditions
Is to k n o w the inconceivable.
This is called the Taste-Image Sam adhi.”

The B uddha continued, 4tManjusrI, w h at is the T ouch-Im agc Samadhi?

T h e W orld -H o n o red O n e explained in verse:

“T ou ch is n othing but a name,

Inapprehensible by nature.
Softness, sm oothness, and all other textures
Arise from dependent generation.
T o com prehend that touch arises
From the combination o f causes and conditions
A nd cannot ultimately be found
Is called the T ouch-Im age Samadhi.

“ Furtherm ore, M anjusri, w h at is the M ind-O bject Samadhi?”

The W orld -H o n o red O n e explained in verse:

“Even if, in the billion-world universe,

All the countless sentient beings assembled
A nd together sought the objects o f the mind,
T h ey could not find them.
 T he U niversal D harm a- door

M ental objects arc not inside or outside.

N o r can th ey be gathered together.
T h ey arc m erely varieties o f verbal phenomena,
Fabrications o f arbitrary names.
T hey are illusory, like magic;
Ever fleeting, they remain nowhere.
T o k n o w that they arc em p ty by nature
Is called the M ind-O bjcct Samadhi.

“M oreover, Manjusri, w h at is the W om an-Im agc Samadhi?”

T he W o rld-H onored O n e explained in verse:

“A w o m an has no real existence;

She is a m ere assemblage o f the four elements.
H ow ever, ordinary men, their minds confused,
Believe her to be real.
A w o m a n is illusory, like magic;
This fools cannot understand.
Dcccivcd by the sight o f her,
T hey engender attachm ent in their hearts.
Like a person magically produced,
A w o m an has no reality;
Yet, in delusion,
Ignorant m en grow desirous o f her.
T o k n o w perfectly
T h at w o m en have no self-entity
A nd are quiesccnt forms
Is called the W om an-Im age Samadhi.

T he B uddha continued, 4tManjusrI, w hat is the M an-Im age Samadhi?

T h e W o rld-H onored O n e explained in verse:

“M en consider themselves to be men,

A nd other hum ans to be w om en.
Because o f their discrimination,
Lust is aroused w ithin them.
H ow ever, from the beginning,
A lustful m ind has never been.
N o sign o f [such a] m ind can be found.
 O n E m ptin ess

By delusive discrimination
O ne thinks o f a physical form as male.
I say it is, in fact, n o t a man,
But a thing like a mirage.
T o k now that m an is quiescent by nature
Is callcd the M an-Im age Samadhi. . . . ”

T he B uddha continued, 4tManjusri, w hat is the D eva-im age Sam5dhi?”

T h e W orld -H o n o red O n e explained in verse:

“Those w ho have pure faith

A nd an abundance o f good karmas
Will be born w ith bodies o f spccial beauty
T o enjoy superb rewards in heaven.
Precious gems and palaces
A ppear w ithout w o rk or effort.
Exquisite tlowers o f the coral tree
Bloom , though no one plants them .
All such inconccivablc events occur
As a result o f karm ic power,
Just as m yriad forms are reflected
In a piece o f clear lapis lazuli.
T h e go d s’ w onderful bodies,
Palaccs, and o th er things
All arise from delusion.
This [realization]
Is called the D eva-im age Samadhi. . . . ”

T h e B uddha continued, 4tManjusri, w h at is the Anim al-Im agc Samadhi?”

T he W orld -H o n o red O n e explained in verse:

"T h o u g h clouds differ in hue and shape,

T h ey have no substance.
H ow ever, they delude and confuse
T he ignorant.
Just as the clouds in the sky
H ave different colors and shapes,
So sentient beings appear
In various form s as animals.
 T he U n iversa l D harma- door

If o n e know s that karm a is illusory,

H e will be free o f delusion.
T o k n o w that animals are intrinsically quiescent
Is the A nim al-Im age Samadhi.

“ Furtherm ore, M anjusri, w h at is the Desire-Image Samadhi?

T h e W o rld -H o n o red O n e explained in verse:

“Desire is a mere fi gm ent o f discrimination,

W hich cannot be found.
It does not arise, does n o t appear,
A nd has no abode.
By nature, desire is like em p ty space,
D ivorced from anything established.
Because o f false discrimination, though,
T he defilem ent o f desire plagues the ignorant.
T he nature o f all dharm as is not defi led;
It is pure, like em pty space.
E ven if one searches for it
T h ro u g h o u t th e ten directions,
N o trace o f it can be found.
O n e w h o k n o w s not this emptiness ,
Is terrified to m eet desire.
H e fears w h en there is nothing to fear—
H o w can he ever secure peace and joy?
A fool m ay be afraid o f em pty space
A nd flee from it in terror.
H o w can one escape from space
W hen space is everywhere?
T he ignorant, being deluded,
W rongly discriminate.
Desire is intrinsically unreal,
Yet they try to renounce it.
Their efforts are as vain
As the attem pt to elude em pty space.1
E very dharm a, in its nature,
Is unattainable, like nirvana.
Buddhas o f the past, present, and future
All realize the natural emptiness o f desire.
O n E m ptin ess

Secure in this realization,

T hey never part from [desirc|.
A lthough those w h o fear desire
Rack their brains seeking liberation from it,
It remains forever intrinsically pure.
W hen I attained e n lig h te n m e n t,.
I realized that all things are equal.
Som e m aintain that desire is real
A nd that it should be abandoned.
T he view that desire should be renounced
Arises from false discrimination.
T here is, in truth, no abandoning;
It is only [the function)
O f a discriminative mind.
Desire is inapprehensible by nature,
So it cannot be extinguished or destroyed.
In undifferentiated reality,
T here is neither liberation
N o r discrimination.
If one could be liberated from desire,
O n e could also be liberated from em pty spacc.
E m p ty space and desire
A re boundless and not different.
If one sees any difference,
I tell him to forsake [discrimination].
In truth, desire never arises;
O n e perceives it because o f delusion.
Desire is em pty by nature;
It is but an arbitrary name.
O n e should not engender attachm ent
Becausc o f such a name.
T o realize that desire is free o f im purity
Is to realize ultim ate emptiness.
Liberation is not reached
T h ro u g h the destruction o f desire.
Desire and the B uddha-D harm a are equal;
This [realization] is nirvana.
T he wise should know:
T o enter the realm o f utter quiesccncc
 T he U niversa l D harm a- door

B y realizing the quiescence o f desire

Is called the Desire-Imagc Samadhi.

“M o reo v er, Manjusrl, w h at is the Hatrcd-Im agc Samadhi?"

T he W orld-H onored O n e explained in verse:

“H atred 2 originates from delusion.

O n e clings to the T
W hen there is no T ; thus,
W hen he hears malicious w o rd s,3
Intense hatred arises,
W hich is like a vicious poison.
T he malicious w ords— and hatred, to o —
U ltim ately cannot be found.
T o start a fire by bo ring w ood,
M an y conditions m ust be fulfilled.
N o fire can possibly ignite
If these required conditions are not met.
Likewise, speech unpleasant to the ear
Ultim ately cannot be found.
If spcech is know n to be em pty by nature,
N o hatred will arise again.
H atred is n o t in speech,
N o r does it dwell in the body.
It is a product o f m an y causes and conditions,
W ithout w hich it can never com e to be.
Just as butter and chccsc arc made
By a com bination o f m ilk and other agents,
So hatred, in itself, is unborn,
T h o u g h harsh speech [makes it seem to arise].
Fools cannot understand this,
So they ignite w ith the heat o f anger.
This one should know:
U ltim ately, n o th in g can be found.
H atred is by nature quiescent;
It is but an arbitrary name.
H atred is reality itself;
Bccausc o f suchncss it arises.
K n ow in g hatred to be the dharm adhatu
Is called the H atred-Im agc Sam adhi•”
1 42 O n E m p tin ess

T he Buddha continued, 4tManjusri, w hat is the Ignorance-Im age Samadhi?15

The W orld-H onored O n e explained in verse:

“Ignorance is em p ty by nature;
It has never by itself arisen.
T here is not a single dharm a
T h at can be called ignorancc.
O rd in ary people
W rongly conccive o f ignorancc
While there is no ignorancc;
T hey arc attached
While there is nothing to be attached to.
It is as if they try
T o tie em pty space into a knot.
Strange indeed arc those fools!
T h e y do w h at th ey should not do.
T here are no dharmas,
Y et th ey discriminate,
And thus engender m yriad defilements.
If one attempts to take up [parts of] space
A nd put them together in a ccrtain placc,
He will never complete the task,
E ven in millions o f kalpas.
For innum erable kalpas since the beginning,
Fools have amassed ‘knots o f ignorancc,5
Yet, [truly,] their ignorance
Has n o t increased an iota.
Just as one w h o tries to m ove em pty spacc
C an never alter its magnitude,
So one can never increase ignorance,
T h o u g h he m ay amass it for m an y kalpas.
Just as a bellows takes in
Endless am ount o f air,
So the ignorant attach themselves
Insatiably to sensuous pleasures.
H ow ever, ignorancc is nowhere,
W ith neither root nor abode.
Sincc it has no root,
H o w can it have an end?
Since it has no end,
Its bounds cannot be found.
 T he U n iv ersa l D harma- door 143

For this very reason, I can never finish

Liberating living beings.
Even if, in one day,
I deliver all the beings
In a billion-world universe,
Causing them to realize nirvana;
A nd for innum erable kalpas
I do the same every day,
T he realm o f sentient beings
C an no t be exhausted.
T h e realms o f ignorance and o f beings
A rc both signless
A nd illusory, like magic,
So they cannot be exhausted.
Ignorance and B uddhahood arc not different,
B ut arc equal by nature.
If one discriminates a Buddha,
T hen he dwells in delusion.
Ignorancc and all-know ing w isdom
Arc both em pty o f self-entity;
Sentient beings and ignorancc ,
Are entirely equal.
Inconceivable arc sentient beings;
Inconccivable, too, is ignorance!
Sincc both are inconceivable,
H o w can a distinction be m ade betw een them?
This m ind o f th o u g h t4
C annot be measured or conceived.
Immeasurable, too, is ignorancc,
For it is boundless.
Since it has no bounds,
H o w can it arise?
It arises not in its sclf-naturc,
A nd no sign o f it can be found.
Realizing that ignorance is signless,
O n e regards the B uddha in the same way.
It should thus be k n o w n
T hat all dharm as are nondual.
Ignorance is, from the beginning,
Still and quiescent;
144 O n E m p tin ess

It is but an arbitrary name.

W hen I realized enlightenm ent,
I understood it as equal [to bodhi].
T o be able to contemplate thus
Is called the Ignorance-Image Samadhi.

"Furtherm ore, Manjusri, w hat is the Samadhi o f U n w holesom e D harm as?”

T he W orld-H onored O n e explained in verse:

“All the manifestations

O f desire, hatred, ignorance,
A nd the other defilements
Are illusory and unreal.
T o have this insight is called
T he Samadhi o f U n w h o leso m e Dharm as.

“M oreover, M anjusri, w hat is the Samadhi o f W holesom e D harm as?”

T he W orld -H o n o red O n e explained in verse:

"All o f you should k n o w

T hat those w ith good will,
T h o u g h different in disposition,
A re the same in d e e d , .
For they are all detached,
A nd k no w all dharmas
T o be quiescent in nature.
This [insight] is called
T he Samadhi o f W holesom e D h arm as.”

T h e B uddha continued, "M anjusri, w hat is the Samadhi o f Conditioned

D harm as?”
T he W o rld-H onored O n e explained in verse:

"All o f you should k n o w

T h at no conditioned thing
Is created by anyone,
O r can be measured.
I see that phenom ena
B y nature cannot accumulate,
A n d that everything is quiescent.
This [insight] is called
T he Samadhi o f C onditioned D harm as.
 T hh U n i v e r s a l D h a r m a - d o o r 145

“Finally, M anjusri, w hat is th e Samadhi of U nconditioned Dharm as?”

T he W o rld -H o n o re d O n e explained in verse:

“ U nconditioned things arc quiesccnt by nature;

O n e cannot cling to them,
N o r can one renounce them .'’
They are but artificial names
U ttered for clinging sentient beings.
T o rcach such a realization
Is called the Samadhi o f U nconditioned D harm as. ” • . .

T hen Bodhisattva M anjusri said to the Buddha, “M ay the W orld-H onored

one teach the Bodhisattvas the names o f other samadhis so that:
(1) their sense-organs m ay become keen and sound;
(2) th ey m ay acquire the w isdom to comprehend all dharm as and to becom e
invinciblc to those w ith w ro n g views;
(3) they m ay realize and achievc the four kinds o f unhindered eloquence;
(4) they can m aster m an y languages by know ledge o f one particular language,
and one particular language by know ledge o f m any languages;
(5) they m ay tcach the essence o f the D harm a to sentient beings, and do so
skillfully and w ith boundless eloquence;
(6) they m ay achicve the realization o f the profound Dharma; and
(7) they may understand in an instant all actions, as well as the infinite forms
and varieties o f each o f th e m ."
T he B uddha said, "Manjusri, there is a samadhi nam ed Boundless Freedom
rrom Defilements. A Bodhisattva w ho attains it can appear in all kinds o f pure
forms.
“There is a samadhi n am e d A w esom e Visage. A Bodhisattva w h o attains it
will have an aw esom e light outshining the sun and m oon.
“There is a samadhi nam ed Flaming Light. A Bodhisattva who attains it can
outshine the awe-inspiring lights o f all indras and brahmas.
“T here is a samadhi nam ed Renunciation. A Bodhisattva w ho attains it can
cause sentient beings to rid themselves o f desire, hatred, and ignorance.
“There is a samadhi nam ed U nhindered Light. A Bodhisattva w ho attains it
illuminate all Buddha-lands.
“T h ere is a sam adhi nam ed U nforgetting. A Bodhisattva w ho attains it can
hold in m ind the teachings o f all Buddhas and expound th em to others.
“T here is a samadhi nam ed T hundering Voice. A Bodhisattva w h o attains it
speak well in all languages and tones, including those o f the Brahma Heaven.
“There is a samadhi nam ed Joy. A Bodhisattva w ho attains it can fill sentient
beings w ith joy.
146 O n E m p tiness

'T h e re is a sam adhi nam ed Insatiable Delight. People will not be tired o f
seeing or hearing a Bodhisattva w h o attains it.
..There is a sam adhi nam ed Inconceivable Merits o f C oncentration on a
Single Object. A Bodhisattva who attains it can perform all miraculous feats.
“T here is a sam adhi nam ed U nderstanding th e Languages o f All Sentient
Beings. A Bodhisattva w h o attains it can speak all languages w ith proficiency, can
express all w ords in one w ord, and can understand that all w ords are one w ord.
“T h ere is a sam adhi nam ed Supreme D harani. A Bodhisattva w h o attains it
can thoroughly understand all dharanis.
“T here is a sam adhi nam ed A dornm ents o f All Eloquence'. A Bodhisattva
w ho attains it will be well versed in all w ritten and spoken languages.
“T h ere is a sam adhi nam ed Accum ulation o f All W holesom e D harm as. A
Bodhisattva who attains it can cause sentient beings to hear the teachings o f the
Buddha, D harm a, and Samgha; o f Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas;
or o f the paramitas. W hen he abides in this samadhi, he can cause sentient beings
to hear these teachings continuously.”
T h en M anjusri said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, please bless me
and help m e to obtain unim peded eloquence to proclaim the superb merits o f this
D h arm a-d o o r .，，
The B uddha said, “Excellent! Y our wish is granted•”
M anjusri said to the Buddha, “It should be k n o w n that if a Bodhisattva
accepts, practices, reads, and recites this D harm a-door w ithout doubt, he will
definitely aquire in his present life four kinds o f eloquence; namely, ready elo­
quence, great eloquence, profound eloquence, and inexhaustible eloquence. He
will always rem em ber to protect sentient beings, and, by enlightening them, will
th w art those w h o intend to destroy the devotees’ D harm a practice•”
T hereupon, the W orld-H onored O ne praised Bodhisattva Maiijusri, saying,
“ Excellent, excellent! You understand this doctrine very well. Just as those w h o
give will surely gain im m ense wealth, and as precept-keepers will be reborn in
heaven, so those w h o accept and practice this sutra will unquestionably achieve
eloquence in this life. Just as sunlight can surely dispel all darkness, and as a
Bodhisattva will surely attain suprem e enlightenm ent w hen he sits on the bodhi-
seat, so those w h o accept, practice, read, and recite this sutra will achieve elo­
quence in this life w ithout fail. Manjusri, he w h o wishes to seek eloquence in this
life should believe in, rejoice at, accept, practice, read, and recite this sutra and
explain it to others w ithout entertaining any doub ts•”
T hen Bodhisattva Undefiled Store said to the Buddha. “W orld-H onored
O ne, after the [pari-] nirvana o f the Buddha, if any Bodhisattva, free o f doubt,
accepts, practices, reads, and recites this D h arm a-d o o r and explains it to others, I
will hold him in m y em brace and enhance his eloquence•， ’
A t that time, Papiyan, the celestial dem on, was stricken w ith w o rry and
gnef. With tears in his eyes, he came to the Buddha and said, “W hen the Tathagata
was attaining suprem e enlightenm ent in the past, I w rithed in w o rry and agony.
 T he U n iversa l D harma-door 147

N o w y o u r preaching o f this D h arm a-d o o r redoubles m y pain, and I feel as if I

have been shot by a poisonous arrow. Sentient beings w ho hear this sutra will
definitely n o t regress from their pursuit o f suprem e enlightenm ent, and will even­
tually enter parinirvana. This will reduce m y kingdom to nought. T he Tathagata,
the W orthy O ne, the Suprem ely E nlightened One, can give peace and happiness to
all living beings in distress. M ay the Tathagata be so kind and compassionate as
n o t to bless this sutra, and thus give m e peace and security and eliminate all m y
w o rry and pain. ”
The W orld -H o n o red O ne told PapTyan, “D o not w orry. I shall not bless this
sutra, nor will sentient beings enter parinirvana.n
H earing this, PapTyan, the celestial dem on, danced with joy; all his worries
and sorrow vanished. H e suddenly disappeared from the presence o f the Buddha.
T h e n B odhisattva M anjusri approached the B uddha and asked, “W hat was
the T ath agata’s implicit intention ju st n o w in telling Papiyan, ‘I shall n o t bless this
D h a rm a ，?”
T he B uddha answered, "M anjusri, I bless this D h arm a by n o t blessing it;
thus, I told him that. Because all dharm as are equal in reality, return to suchness,
are identical w ith the dharm adhatu, defy speech, and transcend duality, there is no
blessing. Because I speak th e truth and n o t falsehood, this sutra will prevail widely
in the w o rld .， ’
After the W o rld-H onored O ne had said this, he told Ananda, “This sutra is
n am e d the Universal D h arm a-D o o r to th e Inconceivable. Accepting and practicing
this sutra is n o t different from accepting and practicing the eighty-four thousand
D h arm a-do o rs.6 Why? Because it was only after I became conversant w ith it that I
was able to expound the eighty-four thousand D harm a-doors to all living beings.
Therefore, Ananda, you should carefully protect and uphold this sutra and read,
recite, and circulate it so that it m ay not be forgotten or lost•”
When the B uddha had spoken this sutra, Bodhisattva Manjusrl, Bodhisatt­
va Undefiled Store, Venerable Ananda, hum ans, devas, asuras, gandharvas, and
others w ere all jubilant over the B u d d h a’s teaching. T h ey accepted it w ith faith
and began to practice it w ith veneration.

NOTES
1. T his indicates that true renunciation o f desire can only be attained by realization o f
emptiness, i.e., b o th th e emptiness o f objects o f desire, and o f desire itself. O th e r form s o f
renunciation such as abstinence m ay be usefu], but th ey are tem porary and even discrim ­
inatory as the text implies here and below.
In certain advanced yogas, the yogi m ay even be advised to stir up desire inten­
tionally, and apply the m editation o f emptiness to it by th o ro u g h ly identifying emptiness
148 O n E m ptin ess

with desire and w ith all else. See G arm a C. C. C hang, Teachings o f Tibetan Yo^a (N e w H yde
Park: Uni\'ersity Books, 1963), p. 44. (V.S.B.)
2. T he Chinese characters 瞋 恚 literally m ean ‘a n g er， ，but m a y also denote ‘ha tre d ，，
'resentm ent', etc. H ere w e use ‘h atred，to be consistent w ith our rendering o f the three
poisons.
3. Literally, “so u n d s .”
4. ‘T h e m in d o f th o u g h t ， ( C h . 思 維 心 ）refers to the m ental function o f ordinary
minds, whereas a B uddha’s ‘m in d ’ or ‘w isd o m ’ has no thought but direct perception, i.e.,
現 量 境 .

5. Literally, “T h ere is nothing to be attached to, nor anything to be dctached fro m .11
6. A figurative expression denoting all the various Buddhist doctrines.
 9 無盡伏藏會

The Inexhaustible Stores of Wisdom

Thus have I heard. O nce the B uddha was dwelling on M o u n t Grdhrakuta near the
city o f Rajagrha, together w ith one thousand great monks, all o f w h o m had
accomplished superb merits and could m ake the lion’s roar; and w ith five hundred
great Bodhisattvas, all o f w h o m had acquired dharanis, attained unim peded elo­
quence, achieved the Realization o f the N onarising o f Dharm as, reachcd the stage
o f nonrcgression, acquired sainadhis and a free co m m a n d o f miraculous pow ers,
and w h o k new w ell the mentalities and inclinations o f living beings.
T h e Bodhisattvas w ere headed by Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas Sun Banner,
M o o n Banner, Universal Light, M o o n King, Illuminator o f Peaks, Son o f the Sun,
L ion’s W isdom , Prccious Light of Merits, Realization o f All Meanings, Fulfillment
o f Previous Conditions, A ccom plishm ent o f V ow s and Deeds, W isdom o f E m pti­
ness, Equal M ind, Jo y and Love, Fond o f C om pany, Victorious Fighter, Wise
Deeds, Lightning A ttainm ent, Superb Eloquence, L ion’s Roar, Wonderful Voice,
Alert, Deeds o f Skillful Conversion, and Deeds o f Ultim ate Quicscencc.
Also in the assembly were Indra; the four deva kings; Brahma, lord o f the
Saha World; and innum erable awe-inspiring, virtuous gods, dragons, yaksas, gan­
dharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas.
At that time, Bodhisattva Lightning A ttainm ent, seeing that all the eminent
ones had gathered and that the w hole assembly was hushed, rose from his seat,
bared his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms, and said to the
Buddha, “W orld -H o n o red One, I wish to ask you som e questions. Please grant
m e the o p p o rtu n ity .”
The W orld-H onored O ne said to Lightning A ttainm ent, “T h e Tathagata,
the W orthy O ne, the Pcrfcctly Enlightened One, grants your request. Ask w h at­
ever questions you wish, and the answers will be explained to y o u .”
Siitra 20, Taisho 310, pp. 480-486; translated into Chinese b y Bodhiruci.
150 O n E m p tin ess

Bodhisattva Lightning A ttainm ent asked the Buddha, "W orld-H onored One,
w hat should a Bodhisattva accomplish to be able to satisfy sentient beings，desires
w ithout being afflicted w ith defilements; to lead sentient beings skillfully, accord­
ing to their particular inclinations, and prevent them from falling to the miserable
planes o f existence after death; to realize w ith o u t fail the equality [of dharmas]; and
to remain undefiled by the w o rld in w hich he lives, just as a lotus flower is
unsoiled [by the m u d d y w ater from w hich it grows]? H o w can a Bodhisattva
travel freely am o n g Buddha-lands w ith o u t m oving at all w ithin the dharm adhatu;1
be always with the B uddha w ithout seeing him as he physically appears; abide in
the three [doors to] liberation w ith o u t entering the [Hlnayana] nirvan a; adorn and
purify a Buddha-land in accordance w ith the wishes o f sentient beings; and attain
suprem e enlightenm ent in an instant?”
T h en the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva repeated his questions in verse:

“ Unexcelled, M o st H onored o f M en,

M aster o f Infinite Knowledge,
Y ou abide in the dharm as co m m o n to all.
Y ou benefit the w orld
A nd treat living beings w ith equality.
Y ou are the haven o f the world.
Y ou reveal the right path to the heterodox,
So that they m ay attain ultimate peace and jo y .2
The suprem e merits you have accumulated
Are like a treasure-trove.
M ay the sun o f w isdom in the world,
T h e W orthy O n e in the three realms,
E xpound the suprem e vehicle3
For the accom plishm ent o f Bodhisattvahood.
Y o u r countenance is as clear as a full m oon;
Y ou are fully proficient in samatha;
Y ou m ake manifest the D harm a o f tranquillity
W hich can extinguish all afflictions.
M ay you teach the Bodhisattva-path
For the benefi t o f sentient beings.
Pure are the B u d d h a’s land and life span,
：His physical b o d y and retinue,
His actions o f body, speech and m ind
A n d all his other attributes.
M ay the Tathagata expound n o w
T h e pure practices o f a Bodhisattva.
H o w does a Bodhisattva conquer demons?
 T h e In e x h a u s t i b l e Stores of W is d o m 151

H o w does he teach the D harm a?

H o w does he becom e ever mindful?
Please explain this to us.
H o w does the courageous hero4
Plunge into sarhsara again and again,
While abiding securely in nonduality
A nd rem aining un m o v ed by anything?
H o w docs he associate w ith Buddhas
A nd m ake offerings to them?
H o w does he observe the B u d d h a’s physical b ody
W hile ultim ately rem aining detached from all forms?
H o w does he refrain from entering nirvana
Before acquiring all m erits,5
T h o u g h he has realized the three [doors to] liberation
And is as free as a bird in the sky?
H o w does he k now the inclinations
A nd desires o f sentient beings,
C o m p ly w ith them fearlessly.
A nd thereby bring those beings to maturity,
W hile him self remaining undefiled?
H o w does he first give them m undane delights,
A n d then persuade them to develop pure minds
T o help th em achieve suprem e w isdom ,
A nd attain suprem e enlightenment?
Such doctrines, profound and subtle,
M ay the Tathagata explain to u s.”

T hereupon, the W o rld-H onored One told Bodhisattva-M ahasattva Light­

ning Attainm ent, “Excellent! It is excellent, good man, that you can ask the B uddha
such questions in o rd er to give benefit, pcace，and happiness to num berless beings’
and to w in over to the D h arm a those gods and hum ans o f the present w h o will be
Bodhisattvas in the future. Therefore, Lightning A ttainm ent, you should listen
carefully and think well about w h at I say. I am going to explain this for y o u .”
Bodhisattva Lightning A ttainm ent said, “ Yes, W orld-H onored O ne. I am
willing and glad to listen•， ’
T he B uddha told Lightning A ttainm ent, “A Bodhisattva-M ahasattva has
five stores o f w isd o m ,6 all o f w hich are great stores o f w isdom , inexhaustible stores
o f w isdom , universally inexhaustible stores o f wisdom. O nce a Bodhisattva pos­
sesses these stores, he will be relieved from poverty forever, achieve the superior
virtues you have m entioned, and quickly attain supreme enlightnm ent w ith little
effort. W hat are the five? T h ey arc: the store o f w isdom for the lustful, the
1 52 O n E m ptin ess

store ot w isdom for the angry, the store o f w isdom for the deluded, the store
of w isdom tor those afflicted equally by all three defilements, and the store o f
w isdom o f the D harm a.
"Lightning A ttainm ent, w h at is a Bodhisattva-M ah 乏sattva’s store o f w isdom
to r the lustful? W h en sentient beings act out o f lust, they are bo u n d by w ro n g
views; they m ake distinctions am ong all phenomena; they cling to and indulge in
forms, sounds, scents, tastes, textures, and dharmas. A Bodhisattva should have
true know ledge o f their mentalities: w hat they delight in and wish for, w hat
circumstances aggravate their habitual defilements, w hat faith and understanding
they have achieved, w h at kinds o f good roots they have previously planted, w hat
vehicle’s teachings will arouse their aspirations for enlightenment, and h o w long it
will take for their good roots to mature. T he Bodhisattva should examine all these
carefully and provide the rem edy needed to cut off those sentient beings，passions
completely and cause them to develop w holesom e minds continuously.
“Lightning A ttainm ent, you should k n o w that the various inclinations and
activities o f sentient beings are difficult to discern. T h ey are not k n o w n to any
Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha, m uch less to ordinary people and the heterodox. For
example, Lightning Attainment, som e living beings, even though they are attached to
desires, can nevertheless be brought to maturity and can attain supreme enlightenment.
can mature and thus attain supreme illumination and liberation as soon as they contact
desired objects, or talk about them with a corrupt m in d 7 Some can be matured and thus
attain supreme illumination and liberation through the cessation o f passions and
deep contem plation on im perm anence, w hich arises from their awareness o f the
deterioration o f the beautiful things they have seen and craved.
“ Some m en do n o t have any passion for w o m en at first glance, b u t w hen
they later recall a w o m a n ’s charm ing appearance, they become m entally corrupted
and attached to it. Som e becom e lustful and absorbed in desire w hen they see a
beautiful w o m an in dreams. Som e becom e enchanted w ith w o m en sim ply on
hearing their voices. Yet, sometimes these men can be b ro u g h t to m aturity and
thus attain suprem e illumination and liberation m erely du ring a tem porary cessa­
tion o f their craving.
“Therefore, Lightning A ttainm ent, because the Bodhisattva thoroughly
know s all diseases derived from lust and their cures, and at the same time sees no
duality in the dharm adhatu, he engenders great compassion for all those w h o arc
ignorant o f the dharm adhatu. Lightning Attainm ent, since lust, anger, delusion,
and the w isdom o f the dharm adhatu are all inapprehensible, the Bodhisattva thinks,
‘As I see it, these living beings have lust, anger, and delusion regarding composite
things, w hich are devoid o f forms, em pty in nature, and w hich exist only as
arbitrary names. I will examine this situation realistically and abide in great co m ­
passion for these beings w h o are deluded by lust; I will fulfill m y previous vow s
by bringing them to m aturity w ith effortless wisdom, w ith o u t becom ing per­
turbed by any d h arm a.’
“If a man considers a w o m an to be pure and becomes deeply infatuated w ith
 T he In e x h a u stib le S to re s of W isd o m 153

her, the Bodhisattva will transform him self into a wom an ot great beauty and
clcgance, adorned w ith jew els and necklaces, as desirable a cclcstial m aiden as the
m an has ever seen before, and allow him to lavish on her his passionate love.
W hen the m an has indulged his passion to the utm ost, the Bodhisattva will, using
means com m ensurate w ith the m a n ’s capacity, pluck out the poisonous arrow of
lust in him. Then, by his m iraculous pow er, he will changc back from the female
form and appear before the m an to expound the D h arm a for him until he has
penetrated the dharm adhatu. After that, he will disappear from sight. In the case of
a w o m an infatuated w ith a man, the Bodhisattva will do the same— he will appear
to her as a man, pluck out the poisonous arrow o f lust in her, expound the
D h arm a to her until she has penetrated the dharm adhatu, and then disappear.
“ Lightning A ttainm ent, [though sentient beings are afflictcd by] tw enty-one
thousand actions o f desire and other w ro n g deeds, [totalling] in all eighty-four
thousand,8 a Bodhisattva w ith effortless w isdom can open up m yriads of D harm a-
doors to lead them to liberation, w ith o u t conceiving a notion that he has ex­
pounded certain doctrines for living beings or that any being has been liberated.
“Lightning A ttainm ent, for example, the dragon king |of the lake] called
N o H eat,9 by the p o w e r o f his karm a, issues forth four great rivers from his
palace to cool do w n the sum m er heat for sentient beings w h o live on land or
in w ater; to n ourish flowers, fruit trees and grains; and to give living beings
pcacc and happiness. H ow ever, he docs n o t conceive the notion that he issues,
has issued, or will issue forth the rivers; he spontaneously keeps the four rivers
full for sentient beings ， use. Similarly, the Bodhisattva fulfills his past vow s by­
expounding the four noble truths with effortless w isdom in order to eliminate
all the burning distresses o f saiiisara, and to give the holy bliss o f liberation to all
gods and hum ans. H ow ever, he does n o t conccive the notion that he is teaching,
has taught, o r will teach the Dharma; he spontaneously abides in great com pas­
sion, observes sentient beings, and explains the D harm a according to their needs.
“As a further example, Lightning A ttainm ent, Indra can remain unaffected
while transform ing him self into bodies num erous enough to satisfy separately
and simultaneously the sensual desires o f his twelve m yriad celestial maidens,
causing each o f them to think that she alone is sporting w ith Indra. Similarly,
the B odhisattva can rem ain unaffected w hile bringing to m atu rity those beings
w ho are capable o f being delivered, in accordance w ith their wishes.
“Lightning A ttainm ent, to illustrate further: the sun, em erging from behind
a mountain, sheds its light all over the w orld and causes the various colors,
such as blue, yellow, red, and white, to appear w here it shines, while the sun
itself remains one undifferentiated, single-colored light. Similarly, the Bodhisattva,
the sun o f w isdom , illuminates the entire dharm adhatu in the same m anner by­
rising above th e m ountainous attachments o f sentient beings and teaching them
the D h arm a according to their needs, while he himself secs no duality in the
dharm adhatu.
“Lightning A ttainm ent, this is w h at is m eant by a B odhisattva-M ahasattva^
154 O n E m ptin ess

store ot w isdom for the lustful. O nce a Bodhisattva has acquired this store, he
can. tor a kalpa or m ore, transform him self into m yriad bodies in accordance
w ith sentient beings’s wishes and tcach the D harm a in various m odes o f expression
w ithout seeing duality in the dharm adhatu.
••Furthermore, Lightning A ttainm ent, as an example, real gold remains the
same in nature w hen an artisan turns it into various necklaces and other ornam ents
by his craft. In like manner, the Bodhisattva observes the dharm adhatu well,
transforms him self into m yriad bodies in accordancc w ith sentient beings’ wishes,
and explains the D harm a to them in m any different modes o f expression, but
he sees no duality in the dharmadhatu. This is [called] constant penetration of
the oneness o f the dharmadhatu. H aving acquired this store o f w isdom the B o­
dhisattva can give various discourses on the D harm a to living beings, w ho, after
hearing them, will be enriched w ith inexhaustible holy treasures and be freed
from the poverty o f sariisara forever.
“N o w , Lightning A ttainm ent, w h at is m eant by a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva's
store o f w isdom for the angry? S o m e living beings arc prone to arrogance and
conceit; they conceivc that the T and ‘m ine’ are real, and cling to discriminations
betw een self and others. Sincc they never cultivate kindness or patience, their
minds are corrupted w ith anger and other burning defilements; they are n o t m ind­
ful o f the Buddha, the Dharm a, or the Samgha; and, enveloped in w rath, they
becom e confused about things. T he Bodhisattva never harm s or irritates these
ill-tempered people, but thinks instead, ‘Strange are these sentient beings! Deluded,
confused, and caught in w ro n g views, th ey becom e angry and resentful in spite
o f the fact that all dharm as are by nature quiescent, detached, undefiled, n o n -
compositc, and b eyond contention.’ T hinking thus, he will abide in great c o m ­
passion and sinccrcly take pity on those beings. In order to subdue their angry
actions, he will tolerate such people w ith steadfast patience even if they dism em ber
his body. If all the innum erable ill-tempered beings w ere to betray each other
and bear grudges, thus d oom ing themselves to fall to the miserable plane of
serpents w h en that karm a ripens, th en the Bodhisattva w h o abides in patience
w ould use his merciful po w er to convcrt those beings, causing them n o t to fall
to the miserable planes o f existence, but instead to realize equality w ith o u t fail.
T hus does a Bodhisattva w ith ingenuity eliminate sentient beings’ acts o f anger.
“ Furtherm ore, Lightning A ttainm ent, w h en the Bodhisattva sees angry p eo ­
ple, he will think: ‘All dharm as are pure by nature. Because th ey do n o t under­
stand the dharm as’ nature, these living beings act according to the appcarancc of
things, vainly make discriminations, and feel anger, in spite o f the fact that all
dharm as arc equal and beyond contention. If they saw the nature o f dharmas, they
w ould n o t bear grudges against cach other, b u t since they do not, they becom c
an g ry .’ T he Bodhisattva will then redouble his kindness and abide in great co m ­
passion for these beings. H e will fulfill his past vow s and explain the D harm a to
them , revealing various teachings w ith effortless wisdom to put an end to their
angry actions. H ow ever, he will n o t think that he teaches the D h arm a to eliminate
 T he I n e x h a u s t i b l e S t o r e s of W isd o m 155

the sentient beings’ anger. W hy is this? Because the Bodhisattva has insight into
the nature o f the dharm adhatu. This is h o w a Bodhisattva abides securely in the
undifferentiated dharm adhatu and eliminates defiled actions.
“Lightning A ttainm ent, for example, the underlying nature o f both darkness
and light is the same; they are both like undifferentiated em p ty space. Therefore,
darkness is never really dispelled w h en Light appears, but it cannot be said that it is
n o t dispelled [in the phenom enal sense]. Similarly, a Bodhisattva w h o relies on the
w isd o m o f nondifferentiation o f the dharm adhatu can skillfully elucidate the D h ar­
m a to eliminate the various angry actions o f sentient beings, and at the same time
he makes no distinctions in the dharm adhatu.
“Lightning A ttainm ent, ju st as sunlight is never separated from the sun
w herev er it shines, so w hatever the Bodhisattva teaches to subdue and destroy
sentient beings’ angry actions is the D h arm a-w heel, [because] he docs n o t differen­
tiate any dharm as in the universe.
“ | T h o u g h sentient beings are afflicted by] tw enty-one thousand angry ac­
tions and other w ro n g deeds, in all eighty-four thousand, a Bodhisattva w ith
effortless w isdom can teach the appropriate D harm as to copc w ith their angry
actions, w ith o u t conceiving a notion that he is teaching, has taught, or will teach
the D harm a to them . This is w hat is m eant by a great Bodhisattva’s store o f
w isdom for the angry.
“O ncc a Bodhisattva has acquired this store, he can, for a kalpa or more,
teach the D h arm a skillfully in various terms to fulfil the wishes o f sentient beings.
A lthough sentient beings’ angry actions k n o w no bounds, the B odhisattva’s w is­
d o m and eloquence are also inexhaustible. This is h o w a Bodhisattva w h o has
acquired the store o f w isdom for the angry expounds the undifferentiated nature o f
the dharm adhatu skillfully.
“N o w , Lightning A ttainm ent, w h a t is m eant by a B odhisattva-M ahasattva^
store o f w isd o m for the deluded? Lightning A ttainm ent, it is a very difficult task
for Bodhisattvas to cope w ith the deluded, because such people pursue deluded
actions, feel malicc tow ard others, are w rapped up in the shell o f ignorance like
silkw orm s w rapped in their o w n cocoons, arc unable to adapt themselves wisely to
dharmas, are n o t keen in observing a proper coursc o f action, cling to the view o f a
self, follow w ro n g paths, are slow to progress, and are unable to extricatc th em ­
selves fro m sariisara.
“For the sake o f such deluded beings, the Bodhisattva, soon after he engen­
ders bodhicitta, makes great, intensified efforts untiringly and ceaselessly. H e
considers h o w he should teach the D harm a, u n der w h at circumstances, and h o w
best to interpret it, all in o rder to cause deluded persons to follow the B odhi­
sattva^ practices and achievc liberation.
“A Bodhisattva w h o in the past has gained insight into the dharm adhatu will
abide in great compassion by virtue o f his effortless wisdom . W hen he encounters
sentient beings w h o arc ignorant o f the dharm adhatu, he will subdue th em by-
explaining the B u d d h a’s teachings according to their capacities, yet w ith o u t con­
156 O n E m ptin ess

ceiving a notion that he is teaching, has taught, or will teach the Dharma. Bccause
o f the pow er o f his past vows, he clearly secs the concatention o f all events in the
universe, and is able to open spontaneously hundreds o f thousands o f D harm a-
doors ro prevent sentient beings fro m perform ing karmas out o f ignorance, and so
lead them to liberation.
“Lightning A ttainm ent, consider, for example, a good physician w h o is
proficient at curing diseases. W ith his great know ledge o f medical w orks, he can
diagnose any disease as soon as he sees its sym ptom s, and th en cure it w ith the
right spells or mcdicines. In the same way, a Bodhisattva w h o has insight into the
dharm adhatu can teach the D harm a w ith his effortless w isdom for habitually
deluded beings in accordance w ith their various inclinations, causing th em to
k n o w hundreds o f thousands o f doctrines.
“Lightning A ttainm ent, this is w h at is m eant by a great Bodhisattva’s store
o f w isd o m for the deluded. O nce a Bodhisattva has acquired this store, he will have
deep insight into the concatenation o f all events in the universe, and can, for a kalpa
or more, teach the D h arm a in m an y different terms for those deluded beings in
accordancc w ith their inclinations and wishes. W hile their delusions are boundless,
his w isdom and cloqucncc are also inexhaustible. A bodhisattva w h o has acquired
the store o f w isdom for the deluded can, in this manner, expound the D harm a
skillfully and w ith o u t m aking distinctions. In o rd er to eliminate the tw enty-one
thousand deluded actions and other w rong actions, in all eighty-four thousand, a
Bodhisattva tcaches hundreds of thousands of doctrines. This is the explanation o f
the Bodhisattva’s store o f w isd o m for th e deluded.
“N o w , Lightning A ttainm ent, w hat is m eant by a great B odhisattva’s store
o f w isdom for those afflictcd equally by all three defilements? As an illustration,
consider a clean, crystal-clear m irro r w ith four facets. W hen placed at the crossing
o f tw o thoroughfares, it gives a true image o f everything around it, but it does not
think o f itself as being able to produce these images, w hich are naturally reflected
on it w h en it is well polished. In the same way, w hen a Bodhisattva has polished
the m irro r o f the dharm adhatu, he abides in effortless samadhi and teaches h u n ­
dreds o f thousands o f doctrincs in accordance w ith the different mentalities o f
sentient beings, so that they m ay gain a tho rou g h understanding o f these doctrines
and attain liberation. H ow ever, he does not conccivc any notions o f D harm as or
sentient beings. W h y is this? Because the Bodhisattva has insight into the nature o f
th e dharm adhatu. H e k n o w s th e real situation o f sentient beings w h o are prone to
th e four defiled states, and teaches th em th e D h arm a according to their inclina­
tions. Yet, in accordance with reality, he views dharmas and sentient beings
nondualistically~he clearly sees that there are no differences am ong them.
“Lightning Attainment, ju st as one sees in space no distinguishable character­
istics or constructions, so a Bodhisattva w h o observes the dharmadhatu well real­
izes that all dharmas arc one. D ue to the p o w er o f his past vows, he can explain the
D h arm a in m any ways according to sentient beings’ propensities, while he makes
no distinctions in the dharm adhatu.
 T h e In e x h a u s t ib l e S t o r e s of W is d o m 157

“Lightning A ttainm ent, a Bodhisattva has a clear insight into all the tw enty-
one thousand actions o f those afflicted equally by all three defilements, as well as
other w rong actions, in all eighty-four thousand. He can teach the Dharm a in
different ways by means o f his effortless w isdom , ju st as a good physician can
m ake a proper diagnosis and administer the right medicine for the disease. This is
w hat is m eant b y a great Bodhisattva's store o f w isdom for those afflicted equally
by all three defilements.
“O n ce a Bodhisattva has acquired this store o f wisdom, he can, for a kalpa
or m ore, skillfully teach the D harm a to sentient beings in different terms according
to their aspirations. Just as sentient beings’ w ro n g actions are boundless, so are a
Bodhisattva's w isdom and eloquence. A Bodhisattva w h o has acquired the store o f
w isd o m for those afflicted equally by all three defilements can, in this manner,
skillfully teach nondifferentiation o f the nature o f the dharm adhatu.
“Furtherm ore, Lightning A ttainm ent, w h en a Bodhisattva achieves such w is­
d om , he will thorou g h ly k n o w the inclinations and wishes o f sentient beings.
W hen he sees sentient beings full o f lust, he may, to subdue and cure them , appear
as an ordinary person afflicted w ith desires and possessing a wife, children, p ro p ­
erty, and necessities o f life, but he will remain as undefiled as a lotus flower.
Som e sentient beings w h o are deluded and lack w isdom cannot understand such a
Bodhisattva's ingenuity, and think, ‘H o w can a wise man be so greedy to fulfil
desires that he is indistinguishable from an ordinary person?，Thus they consider
that Bodhisattva to be apart from |the pursuit of] enlightenm ent. Because their
minds are impure, they becom e angry w ith the Bodhisattva and do not respect
him or believe in him . D ue to this karma, they will fall to the great hells after
death. H ow ever, they will be secretly converted by that Bodhisattva, and they
w ithout fail will realize the equality | o f dharmas] after the retribution for their
misdeeds is completed.
“For example, Lightning A ttainm ent, ju st as a raging fire can burn up all the
trees and grasses fed into it, turning them all into fire, so the Bodhisattva's raging
wisdom -fire can turn the lust, anger, and delusion o f all the sentient beings he
encounters into w isdom w hether they arc good or evil.10 This is called the unique
quality o f a Bodhisattva.
“As a further illustration, consider M o u n t Sumeru, w hich has unique attri­
butes. Each o f its four sides is m ade o f a different kind o f jewel, and sentient
beings— w h eth er they are blue, yellow, red, or w hite— all assume the color o f lapis
lazuli w hen they draw near the side made o f lapis lazuli, the color of gold w hen
they draw near the side o f gold, and the color o f silver or crystal w h en they draw
near those sides. In the same way, if a Bodhisattva has this unique quality, then
sentient beings— w hether they are lustful, angry, or deluded; w hether they are
good or evil— will all acquire the w isdom o f the Bodhisattva w hen they associate
w ith him. Some o f these beings, because o f their im pure minds and evil deeds,
m ay fall to the hells, to the realm o f h u ngry ghosts, to the realm o f animals,
or to the realm o f Yama, yet after the retribution for their misdeeds is completed,
158 O n E m ptin ess

the\- will attain suprem e enlightenm ent w ithout fail, by virtue o f the Bodhisattva’s
unique merits and the p o w e r o f his v o w s . . . .
..Lightning A ttainm ent, ju st as o f all mountains M o u n t Sum eru is the high­
est. so o f all kinds o f w isdom the Tathagata's is supreme. Just as o f all bodies of
water the sea is the deepest, so o f all kinds o f w isdom , the T athagata’s is the m ost
profound. Just as o f all m onarchs the universal m onarch is the m ost honored, so of
all kinds o f w isdom the T athagata’s is the highest.
“ Lightning A ttainm ent, because the Tathagata has achieved this kind of
wisdom, he can thorou g h ly understand the lust, hatred, and delusion o f sentient
beings and every shift in their minds; he com prehends all these in an instant.
“Lightning A ttainm ent, the Tathagata, w h o has achieved all-know ing w is­
dom , resembles a m an w h o has clear sight: ju st as such a m an can effortlessly see
w ith unquestionable clarity a m an g o 11 held in his hand, so the Tathagata can see the
mental activities o f all beings and give appropriate discourses on the D h arm a to
assemblies.
“ In the immeasurable, countless Buddha-lands, there are sentient beings w h o
are prone to lust, w h o are inflam ed w ith and pertrubed by lust, w h o waste their
tim e day and night thinking o f m ethods to gratify their lust, and w h o create
different bodily and verbal karmas because o f burning lust. All this the Tathagata
know s and sees.
“T here arc sentient beings w h o are sm othered w ith anger and hatred, w h o
bear grudges against one another, and w h o will fall to the U nin terru p ted Hell
because o f their malice. All this the Tathagata know s and sees.
“T here are sentient beings w h o are prone to delusion, w h o are shrouded in
ignorance, confused, obdurate, and w h o delight in following w ro n g views. All
this the Tathagata k n ow s and sees.
“Som e sentient beings are com petent, som e incompetent; som e advance,
som e regress; som e have cultivated good roots for the Tathagata-vchicle,12 som e for
the Sravaka-vehicle, som e for the Pratyekabuddha-vehicle. All this the Tathagata
k now s and sees.
“Bccausc the Tathagata has achieved this kind o f w isdom , he is able to k n o w
the different mentalities o f sentient beings in an assembly. W hen it is untim ely to
preach, he will remain silent and m erely think: ‘These sentient beings are confused
about dharm as and cannot understand m y teaching right n o w .’
“Because the Tathagata is equipped with suprem e p o w er and a skillful sense
o f timing, he thoroughly know s w h o can be subdued, w h o has high aspirations,
w ho is endow ed w ith patience, and w h o can accept admonitions. K n ow in g this,
he wins people over to the D h arm a accordingly, and benefits t h e m . . . .
“W hen a Bodhisattva sees lustful beings, he should think, ‘It is m y fault that
they are so inflamed w ith desire.’ W hen he sees sentient beings inflamed w ith
anger or foolish delusions, he should also think ‘This is m y fault. Why? It is m y
duty to find mcdicinc and ways to heal sick sentient beings w hen I see them. I
vow ed to relieve them from their diseases, but now [they are still sick]. I m u st
have forsaken them , so I am to blam e.’
 T he I n e x h a u s t i b l e S t o r e s of W isd om 159

“【Lightning A ttainm ent,] if a Bodhisattva achieves such a m ental state,

reflecting on his o w n faults and feeling great kindness tow ard sentient beings, he
will never take revenge on his offenders even if th ey dism em ber his body. Light­
ning A ttainm ent, if a Bodhisattva thus engages in right practice, his past un w h o le­
som e karmas will be eradicated completely, and no evil will arise in him in the
future.
“Lightning A ttainm ent, numberless, incalculable kalpas ago, before the era
o f D iparhkara Buddha, there was a B u ddha nam ed Tathagata Born Victorious, the
W orthy O ne, the suprem ely Enlightened One, the O n e Perfect in Learning and
Conduct, the W ell-Gone O ne, the W orld-K now er, the Unexcelled O ne, the Great
T am er, the Teacher o f Gods and H um ans, the Buddha, the W orld-H onored One.
H e was born in a w orld nam ed Brilliant Light, and lived in a forest near the capital
city Secure Pcace.
“At that time, there was a ferocious, bloodthirsty, irritable, merciless b utch­
er named Horrible, whose hands were always smeared w ith blood, making a
fearful sight. Once he entered his house to kill a cow tied there. T he cow , seeing
him, becamc frightened and dashed out tow ard the forest w here Tathagata Born
Victorious lived, dragging the ropes w ith it. While the butcher, knife in hand,
was chasing it, the cow panicked and fell into a deep pit. K n ow in g death was near,
it m oaned and bellowed in agony. A t the sight o f the cow, the butcher flew into a
rage, and im m ediately ju m p e d into the pit to kill the cow with the knife.
“Just at that time, Tathagata Born Victorious, surrounded by a huge as­
sem bly o f numberless hundreds o f thousands o f devotees, was expounding the
d octrinc o f dependent origination in detail, as follows:
“ ‘O n ignorance depend actions; on actions depends consciousness; on con­
sciousness depend nam e and form; on nam e and form depend the six sense-organs;
on the six sense-organs depends contact; on contact depends feeling; on feeling
depends craving; on craving depends grasping; on grasping depends becoming; on
becom ing depends birth; on birth depend old age, death, w orry, sorrow , misery,
and distress. E very link o f dependent origination is only a great mass o f suffering.
“ ‘T he adjoining links o f the circle, in order from ignorance and actions, to
birth, old age, and death, and also in reverse order, do n o t think o f each other, nor
are they aw are o f each other. All these things arc inapprehensible by nature; they
have no activities, no thought, no “I，， ，and no “m in e .” Each link is pure in its basic
nature and does not k n o w the others. Y et ordinary people, being ignorant o f this
doctrine, insist that form is the self, that the self has all kinds o f form, and that
form belongs to the self; and they hold the same view about feeling, conception,
impulse, and consciousness.
“ ‘Because they cling to the “I” and “m in e ,” they give rise to the four w ro n g
views— they take im pcrm anence for perm anence, suffering for jo y , impurities for
purities, and egolessness for ego.
“ ‘Because o f their w ro n g views, th ey are confused by ignorance and fail to
think correctly; th ey allow their m inds to be defiled and cannot break th ro u g h the
defilements; th ey are fettered by their craving for existence, and thus continually
160 O n E m p tin ess

circle 111 samsara. T he wise, because they have deep insight into all phenom ena,
see no selt. no others, no sentient beings, no life, birth, old age, illness, or death.
T hev do nor see any bondage or killing.1
"Lightning A ttainm ent, w hen the butcher Horrible heard the voice o f the
丁athlgata teaching the Dharm a from a distance, he was suddenly enlightened, and
his intention to kill ceased at once. Casting aside his knife, he came out o f the pit,
w en t to the Buddha, and bo w ed w ith his head at the B u d d h a’s feet. H e w ithdrew ,
stood to one side and said, ‘W orld-H onored One, I wish to leave the household
life and seek the path through the B u d d h a-D h a rm a .，
“The B uddha said, ‘V ery good! W elcome, m o n k ,' and the butcher im ­
mediately becam e a fully ordained sramana.
“T h en Tathagata B orn Victorious, know ing the butcher’s m ind was grad­
ually com ing to m aturity, extensively explained the practices o f a Bodhisattva for
him. After hearing them , Horrible attained the Realization o f the N onarising of
D harm as and never afterwards regressed from the Buddha-D harm a.
“As for the cow, it enjoyed hearing the wonderful voice o f the Tathagata
expounding the doctrine o f dependent origination. Consequently, after death it
was reborn in the Tusita Heaven, w here it saw Maitreya and attained right faith.
“ Lightning A ttainm ent, the activities o f sentient beings arc very com pli­
cated, subtle, and difficult to recognize and understand. Therefore, Lightning
A ttainm ent, a Bodhisattva in pursuit o f suprem e enlightenm ent should try to
k now thoroughly the capacities and actions o f sentient beings. H e should keep
an impartial and unobstructed mind toward all beings, and be detached from
all d h a r m a s . . . .
“N o w , Lightning Attainm ent; w h at is a Bodhisattva's store o f w isdom o f
the Dharm a? It is this: the Bodhisattva clearly sees all forms as they really are; he
k now s that they are uncreated from the beginning and pure in self-nature. Because
the Bodhisattva has a th o ro u g h understanding o f forms, he can achieve the four
elements o f unim peded eloquence. W h at are th e four? T hey are: the unhindered
understanding o f meaning, the unhindered know ledge o f dharmas, the unhindered
use o f language, and the unhindered ability to discourse.
“T h e unhindered understanding o f m eaning is the perfect understanding o f
the m eaning o f all forms. W hat is the m eaning o f forms? It is the same as the
ultimate tru th .13 W hat is the ultimate truth? It is the inapprehensibility o f forms.
A cquiring an understanding o f this ultimate truth is called the unhindered under­
standing o f meaning.
“T h e unhindered k now ledge o f dharm as is the th o ro u g h know ledge o f all
forms, w hich results from accurate observation o f them.
“T h e unhindered use o f language is the skillful use o f language in presenting
forms in all ways, w ith unobstructed w isdom .
“T h e unhindered ability to discourse is the ability to reveal and discourse
u pon all forms to sentient beings according to their propensities w ith o u t being
attached or affected oneself. After achieving this understanding, the Bodhisattva
 T he In e x h a u s t ib l e St o r es of W isd o m 161

can, w ith his effortless w isdom , expound the D harm a properly to all the deluded
beings w h o cling to forms. H e does this in accordance w ith their natures and
desires, while he him self has no dualistic view o f the dharmas. H e can also explain
the D harm a in the same w ay to those deluded beings w ho arc attached to sounds,
scents, tastes, textures, and dharmas.
“Lightning A ttainm ent, this is w h at is m eant by a great Bodhisattva’s store
o f w isd o m o f the Dharm a. In order to subdue sentient beings deluded by sense-
objects, a Bodhisattva w h o has acquired this store o f w isdom can, for a kalpa or
m ore, use various term s to teach the twelve entrances skillfully in accordance w ith
their wishes. While their [attachment to] the twelve entrances is infinite, his wis­
d o m is inexhaustible, because he never deviates from the nondual, undifferentiated
dharm adhatu, but always conforms to it. This is a B odhisattva’s skillful exposition
o f the nondifferentiation o f all dharmas.
“O n ce a Bodhisattva acquires this store o f w isdom o f the D harm a, he can
teach the D harm a to sentient beings properly, causing th em to possess fully the
inexhaustible Dharm a treasures and be free from the poverty o f sarhsara forever.
“Lightning A ttainm ent, these are a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva’s five stores of
wisdom, w hich are great stores o f w isdom , inexhaustible stores o f w isdom , uni­
versally inexhaustible stores o f wisdom , and boundless stores o f wisdom. If a B o­
dhisattva acquires these five stores and prefects suprem e virtues, he can attain su­
prem e enlightenm ent quickly and w ithout m uch effort.”
When this doctrine of the stores of w isdom was explained, Bodhisattva Light­
ning A ttainm ent achieved dharanl, five hundred other Bodhisattvas achieved the
Lightning Samadhi, and thirty-six thousand gods b ro ug h t forth supreme bodhicitta.
A t that time, Bodhisattva M o o n Banner said to the Buddha, 4tW orld-
H onored O ne, you have m entioned effortless w isdom . W hat does it m ean?”
T h e Buddha said, “If a Bodhisattva, inclined in body and m ind to practice
w holesom e dharmas, clings to one thing after another while perform ing those
[dharmas], that is called effort. A Bodhisattva is said to possess effortless w isdom
if he can do the following: remain flexible in body and mind; be free o f thought;
rely on nothing; manifest no sign o f practice; make all kinds o f manifestations in
thousands o f [millions of] billions o f Buddha-lands by means o f the w isdom result­
ing from the fulfillment o f his past vows, while remaining u nm oved in the dhar­
m adhatu; teach the D harm a constantly w ithout entertaining any notion o f the
D harm a; em ploy the four inducements to bring sentient beings to maturity w ith­
out thinking that there are any beings to be liberated; beautify and purify all
Buddha-lands w ithout regarding any Buddha-land as im pure;14 be always mindful
o f Buddhas w ith o u t seeing th em as they physically appear; and traverse all B u d ­
dha-lands w ith o u t m o v in g in the dharm adhatu. B y achieving such w isdom , a
Bodhisattva can satisfy all the wishes of sentient beings w ithout being attached to
what he does.” . . .
T hen the W orld-H onored O n e told Bodhisattva Lightning A ttainm ent, “T he
Tathagatas, the W o rth y O nes, the Supremely Enlightened O nes o f the past re­
162 O n E m ptin ess

vealed and explained this doctrine here, and future Buddhas will also appear here
in the w orld to expound this doctrine. T he present Buddhas, Tathagatas, in the
numberless, incalculable w orlds are n o w shedding this great light to celebrate the
continuity o f this doctrine.”
T hereupon Venerable Ananda rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder,
knelt on his right knee, joined his palms, and asked the Buddha, “W o rld-H onored
O ne, w h at shall this sutra be nam ed and h o w should w e uphold it?”
T h e B uddha told Ananda, “T his sutra is n am ed T h e Inexhaustible Stores o f
W isdo m ’ or ‘A D iscourse on the N ondifferentiation o f All D h arm as.’ T hese are
the nam es by w hich you should uphold it.”
When the B uddha had spoken this sutra, Bodhisattva Lightning A ttainm ent,
Venerable Ananda, the four kinds o f devotees, and all the gods, humans, asuras,
gandharvas, and o th er beings o f the w orld w ere jubilant. T hey accepted the sutra
w ith faith and began to practice it w ith veneration.

NOTES

1. Alternate translations: “While rem aining u n m o v e d by d h a rm a s,” o r “while rem ain­

ing unaffected in d h a rm a d h a tu ." 'D h a rm a d h a tu 5 in this chapter m ay som etim es be u nder­
stood simply as ‘d h a rm a s， . For example, “to m ake no distinctions in the d h a rm a d h atu ” m ay
be construed to m ean “to m ake no distinctions am o n g dha rm a s.”
2. T hese tw o lines m ay also be translated: ‘‘Y o u reveal all paths as right or w ro n g / So
that all m ay attain ultim ate peace and j o y . ” T h e text is am biguous.
3. T h e Great Vehicle, o r M ahayana.
4. I.e., a great Bodhisattva.
5. A lthough the text reads this way, it could be misleading. A B odhisattva w h o
accomplishes all the B uddha's merits will “en te r” the nonabiding nirvana 無 住 沒 榮 w hich ，

m eans to abide neither in sarhsara nor nirvaiia. (G.C.)

6. T h e term w e have translated as ‘store o f w is d o m ’ literally m eans sim ply ‘store，or
‘trea su ry ’. Because the content o f these treasuries is exactly w isdom , w e have rendered the
term freely.
7. (Italics mine) T hese tw o sentences seem to be Tantric in view, im plying that a klesa,
rendered as ‘defilem ent’ or ‘passion， ，is not necessarily som ething to be eradicated, but
instead to be identified w ith B uddha-nature. A ccording to this view, it is possible for enlight­
e n m e n t and liberation to be attained by association w ith the klesas, rather than avoidance o f
th e m . (G .C .)
8. W e believe that these figures are n o t necessarily precise; they are sim ply m eant to
convey num erousness.
9. Anavatapta, literally ‘N o B urning Afflictions， ，is the n am e o f a m ythical lake
located in the center o f Ja m b udvipa. T h e four rivers o f w hich it is said to be the source are
the Ganges, Indus, O x u s, and Sita. T h e lake m ay be the m o d ern M anasarow ar.
 T h e In e x h a u s t ib l e Stores of W isd o m 163

10. A so m e w h a t free translation.

11. T h e original reads “five m an g o e s .’，
12. T h e Tathagata-vehicle and the Bodhisattva-vehicle are really the same; the vehicle
\s called the Tathagata-vehicle w hen view ed in the aspect o f fruit or achievement, and is
called the Bodhisattva-vehicle w h e n view ed in the aspect o f cause or practice.
13. Chinese 第 一 義 ，literally ‘the first tru th ，，is a sy n o n y m for 择 義 諦 ，‘transcendental
tru th ，. T h e T ibetan text here also reads don-dam-pa (‘ultim ate tru th ， ）. (G.C.)
14. F o r exam ple, the B uddha-land in w hich w e live, the Saha W orld, is said to be an
im p u re one, subject to th e five depravities.
 10 文殊師利授記會

The Prediction of M anjusrfs Attainm ent

of Buddhahood

T hus have I heard. Oncc the B uddha was dwelling on M o u n t Grdhrakuta near the
city of Rajagrha. H e was accompanied by one thousand great m onks; eighty-four
tho u san d Bodhisattvas, led by the Bodhisattvas Manjusri, Avalokitcsvara, and
Ma h a s t h a ma . . . .
A t that time, in the city o f Rajagrha, the king, his ministers, the four kinds
o f devotees, gods, dragons, yaksas, humans, nonhum ans, and so forth offered
clothing, food and drink, bedding, medicine, and other ncccssitics o f life to the
Tathagata w ith respect and esteem.
O n e m orning, the W o rld -H o n ored One, dressed in his robe and holding his
bowl, w alked tow ard the palacc o f K ing Ajatasatru in the city o f Rajagrha, sur­
rounded b y hundreds o f thousands o f m onks and gods. By the aw esom e m iracu­
lous pow ers o f the Buddha, hundreds o f thousands o f lights o f various w onderful
colors shone forth; hundreds o f thousands o f musical instruments sounded to ­
gether; and exquisite flowers, such as blue lotuses, w hite lotuses, and giant w hite
lotuses, show ered d o w n in profusion. Then, by the awesome miraculous pow ers
o f the Tathagata, precious lotuses, each as big as a cart wheel, sprang forth from
the gro u n d on w hich he walked. T h e stems o f these lotuses were silver, the leaves
were real gold, and the pistils were lapis lazuli. O n each lotus seat was a magically
produced Bodhisattva sitting in the position o f meditation. W ithout rising from

Sutra 15，Taisho 310, pp. 336-350; translated into Chinese b y Siksananda.

 M a Si j u M ’s A t t a i n m e n t o f B u d d h a h o o d 165

thejr seats, these magically produced Bodhisattvas circled the city o f Rajagrha
幺bveriAimes to the right and spoke [to the citizcns] in verse:

“T h e W orthy O n e o f the Sakya Clan,

Like a great m erchant leader,
Benefits and gladdens sentient beings, and makes them sccure.
H e has great, aw esom e virtue and a peaceful mind:
U p o n him m ay m ankind rely.
N o w he will enter the city.
Those w ho desire freedom
From the sufferings o f old age and death,
T hose w ho wish to enjoy heavenly palaces,
A nd those w ho w ant to defeat the dem on-hordes
Should keep close to the w onderfully eloquent
Lord o f mankind.
Just to hear his nam e is rare, and n o w he appears!
H e has cultivated [virtuous] practices
For hundreds o f thousands o f kalpas,
A nd has appeared in the w orld out o f great compassion.
T he H o n o red O n e will enter the city.
H e has practiced giving
Immeasurably, boundlessly;
Giving even his children, wife, throne,
H ead, eyes, cars, nose, hands, and legs,
Let alone clothing, food, and drink.
H e has cultivated incalculable merits by giving
A nd has realized unexcelled all-knowing wisdom .
B y giving, he has subdued his m ind
A nd strengthened his virtuous practices.
Greatest o f m en, he upholds pure discipline
A nd has achieved innum erable merits by patience.
T h e ever-calm one will enter the city.
H e has practiced w ith suprem e vigor
For millions o f kalpas:
O u t o f vast conccrn for suffering sentient beings,
He forgets all weariness.
H e has perfected immeasurable, peerless meditation;
T he one w ith the pure voice will enter the city.
His w isdom is immeasurable, unrivaled,
A nd as limitless as spacc,
166 O n E m p tiness

A s is the discipline
O bserved by the Suprem e H o no red O n e o f humans.
H e cultivates all [virtuous] practiccs w ith pure wisdom;
He can defeat dcm on-hordcs and rescue sentient beings;
H e can abide in th e carcfrcc, im m ovable state;
He, the unequaled D harm a king, turns the D harm a-w heel.
T he Lion o f the Sakya Clan will enter the city.
T hose w ho w ish to becom e Buddhas,
A n d to appear in the w orld
A dorn ed w ith the thirty-tw o signs,
Should engender suprem e bodhicitta
A nd m ake offerings to the Tathagata.
T hose w h o wish to abandon
Desire, hatred, and ignorancc forever.
A nd be free from all afflictions
Should at once keep close to the Lion o f the Sakya Clan
A nd m ake all kinds o f offerings to him.
T h ose w h o w ish to becom c sakras or brahm as soon,
A ttended by a retinue o f thousands,
A nd to enjoy never-ending am usem ents in heavenly palaccs
Should keep close to the Lion o f the Sakya Clan.
O n e w h o wishes to be a great universal m onarch
Ruling over the four continents,
Possessing the seven treasures
T o his heart’s content,
A nd having a thousand brave, robust sons,
Should m ake offerings to the Supreme H o no red One.
T hose w h o wish to be elders or rulers o f cities,
W ith imm ense, even imm easurable wealth,
A nd household m em bers unrivaled in beauty,
Should m ake offerings to the Lion o f the Sakya Clan.
Bccausc o f hearing the B u d d h a’s teaching
O n the quicsccnt Dharm a,
[Innumerable] sentient beings have achieved liberation,
A nd others will do so in the future.
T o m eet the Supreme O n e is an o p portunity m ost rare,
So wc should hear him tcach the nectar-like D harm a,
W hich can ease our w o rries.”
After hearing these verses, countless people in the city o f Rajagrha, male and
female, young and old, all became enlightened1 and w ent to [the outskirts o f the
 M a n j u ^ r T' s A t t a in m en t o f B u d d h a h o o d 167

city to w clcom e] the Tathagata with incense, flowers, precious canopies, banners,
and m an y musical instrum ents. T h ey paid hom age to him w ith all their hearts,
danced for jo y [to see him], and respectfully m ade offerings to him.
W hen the W orld-H onored O n e stepped on the threshold o f the city, the
earth quaked in six ways, exquisite flowers rained d o w n from the sky, and musical
instrum ents instantly sounded together. T h e blind regained their sight, the deaf
regained their hearing, the lunatics regained their sanity, the naked gained clothes,
the h u n g ry gained food, and the p o o r gained wealth. [The citizens] were no longer
oppressed and vexed by desire, hatred, ignorance, and arrogance; they w ere as
kind to one another as a father is to his son. T h ey spoke in verse to the accom ­
panim ent o f music:

“T h e greatest man, w h o has the ten powers,

T he Suprem e O n e am ong humans,
T he Lion o f the Sakya Clan,
Is entering the capital city
In order to benefit sentient beings
By giving th em peacc and happiness.
N o w , the blind regain their sight,
T he deaf regain their hearing,
T h e lunatics regain their sanity,
T h e naked gain elothes,
T h e h u n g ry gain dclicious food,
A nd the p o o r gain wealth.
In the sky, hundreds o f thousands o f billions o f gods
Play musical instrum ents as an offering to the Buddha.
T he H o no red One, endow ed w ith virtues and the ten powers,
Is entering the city now.
In the city, the earth quakes in six ways—
T h e universal quake and so forth—
B ut not a single sentient being is afraid;
Rather, all o f them are overjoyed.
N o w the sentient beings in the city
A re n o t afflicted by desire,
Hatred, ignorancc, avarice, or jealousy;
T h eir hearts are full o f joy,
A nd they arc k in d to o n e another.
M ay the B uddha enter the city quickly
T o give pcacc and happiness to sentient beings.
As the W orld-H onored O n e enters the city,
H e emits great lights,
 168 O n E m p tiness

A nd hum ans and gods play musical instruments

\X ith cheerful hearts.
M ira c lc s like this are varied and innumerable.
Gods, hum ans, and asuras all revere the Enlightened O n e .”

At that time, a Bodhisattva nam ed D estroying Vice, the son o f an elder, was
in Rajagrha. Standing in an alley, he saw trom a distance the W orld-
H onored One, w h o possessed the thirty-tw o wonderful, auspicious signs and the
eighty m inor ones. The B uddha's face was handsome, and his eyes clear and
bright. All his sense-organs w ere perfectly calm. He was an ever-plcasant sight to
those w h o saw him. H e abided in samatha, holding himself in perfect control. He
guarded and protected his sense-organs like a well-tamed elephant. His m indful­
ness was corrcct and undisturbed, like a clear deep pool. 2
When he saw these characteristics of the Tathagata, Bodhisattva D estroying
Vice felt great respect for him and pure faith in him. He w ent to the Buddha,
b o w ed w ith his head at the B u d d h a’s feet, circum am bulated him three tim es to the
right, and then stood to one side. A t the same time, incalculable hundreds of
thousands o f sentient beings gathered around the Buddha. Gods without n u m b er
rem ained in midair, joining their palms and bow ing d o w n w ith veneration.
Then, Bodhisattva D estroying Vice asked the Buddha, “W orld -H o n o red
O ne, h o w can a Bodhisattva attain suprem e enlightenm ent quickly and adorn and
purify a Buddha-land as he wishes?”
T h e W orld-H onored O ne, bccause o f his wish to subdue sentient beings and
his compassion for Bodhisattva D estroying Vice, then w alked to the marketplace
and told him in the presence o f the crowd, “G ood man, if a Bodhisattva achieves
one thing, he will attain supreme enlightenm ent quickly and adorn and purify a
B uddha-land as he wishes. G ood man, what is that thing? It is to engender bodhi­
citta w ith superior aspiration in order to show great compassion for sentient beings.
“W hat is it to engender bodhicitta w ith superior aspiration? T he answ er is:
those w h o engender bodhicitta should n o t do an y evil, n o t even th e slightest
am ount.
“W hat evils should they n o t do? T h ey should keep far aw ay from desire,
hatred, and ignorance. If they are lay people, they should maintain dignified de-
；portm ent and avoid flirtation. If they are m onks or nuns, they should not long for
fame, profit, or respect, but abide in the practice of those w h o have left the
household life.
“W h a t is th at practicc? It is to com prehend all dharmas as they really a r e . . . .
By contemplating, for example, that the five aggregates are J ill and em pty, like
nonexistent illusions. W hen one com prehends th em in this way, he does not
consider him self as com prehending anything, n o r does he feel anything or think o f
anything; all discriminations are extinguished in his m ind. If a person com prehends
the five aggregates in this way, he com prehends all things. This is the practicc o f
those w h o have left the household life.
 M an ju sri^ A tta in m e n t of B uddhahood 1 69

“W hen a Bodhisattva cultivates this practicc, he does not forsake any sen­
tient being. Why? Becausc the Bodhisattva explains this D harm a to sentient beings
according to his ow n insight, w ithout attachm ent to the D harm a he explains or to
the sentient beings w h o hear it. G ood man, a Bodhisattva w ho fulfills this will be
able to attain suprem e enlightenm ent quickly and to pcrtcct a B uddha-land.”
W hen this doctrine was spoken, Bodhisattva D estroying Vice achieved the
Realization o f the N onarising o f D harm as, danced with joy. and ascended in
midair to a height o f seven palm trees placed one above another. In the assembly,
tw o thousand sentient beings engendered bodhicitta, and fourteen thousand gods
and hum ans freed themselves from defilements and acquired the d e a r D harm a-eye,
capable o f penetrating all d h a r m a s . . . .
W hen the W orld-H onored O n e and the m onks arrived at the palace o f King
Ajatasatru, th ey arranged their scats and sat d o w n in due order.
T h e king th en personally offered various kinds o f food and d rin k to the
W o rld-H onored O n e and the m onks until he had fully provided for them . He also
offered the finest garm ents to the Tathagata. T hen, in front o f the Buddha, he took
an inferior scat and asked him, “W orld-H onored O ne, w h at is the origin o f hatred,
anger, and vexation? H o w can delusion and ignorance be eliminated?”
T he Buddha replied to the king, “H atred, anger, and vexation arise from the
T and ‘m in e .’ Those w h o do not k n o w virtues, faults, and the T and ‘m ine’ have
no w isdom . T hose w h o truly k n o w the ‘I，and ‘m ine’ are beyond w isdom and
non-w isdom . Y o u r M ajesty should k now that all phenom ena com c from now here
and go now here. If they neither com e nor go, they neither arise n o r ccase. If they
neither arise nor ceasc, there is neither wisdom n o r non-w isdom . Why? Becausc
there is nothing w hatsoever w hich can k n o w arising and nonarising. If one can
transcend 'that w hich k n o w s，’he is said to have true k n o w led g e.”
Then, K ing Ajatasatru said to the Buddha, “T h e W o rld-H onored O n e is
m o st extraordinary! T h e teaching o f th e Tathagata, th e W orthy O ne, th e Pcrfcctly
Enlightened One, is m ost wonderful! N o w I w ould rather die in the course o f
hearing the D harm a explained than continue to live in vain!”
H aving instructed and illuminated K ing Ajatasatru, and gladdened him, the
W orld-H onored O n e rose from his scat and returned to M ount Grdhrakuta. There,
the W orld -H o n o red O n e arranged his seat, washed his feet, and sat d o w n to enter
samadhi.
Later in the afternoon that day, the Tathagata em erged from his samadhi in
order to preach the D harm a, and the great Bodhisattvas and Sravakas also em erged
from samadhi. A t that time, Manjusrl, accompanicd by forty-tw o thousand gods
w h o followed th e Bodhisattva-path; Bodhisattva Maitreya, accompanied by five j
thousand Bodhisattvas; Bodhisattva Lion of Thundering Voicc, accompanied by
five h undred Bodhisattvas— all these Bodhisattvas, m any Sravakas, and King Aja­
tasatru, all surrounded by their retinues, arrived at the Tathagata's dwelling place.
T h ey bo w ed d o w n w ith their heads at the B u d d ha’s feet, and th en sat to one side.
Also, innum erable hundreds o f thousands o f other sentient beings w e n t from
 O n E m ptin ess

l\l- a to M o u n t G rdhrakuta. W hen they arrived, they all bow ed w ith their
二二二 i the B u dd h a’s feet, and then sat to one s i d e . . . .

ii

丁 hen Bodhisattva Lion o f T hu nd erin g Voice3 rose from his seat, bared his right
shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms tow ard the Buddha, and said,
“Bodhisattva M anjusri, the youthful D h arm a Prince, is always praised by B u d ­
dhas, W orld -H o n o red Ones. W hen will he attain supreme enlightenment? W hat
k ind o f Buddha-land will he acquire?”
T h e B ud d h a said, “G o o d man, you should ask M anjusri yourself.”
T hereupon, Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice asked Bodhisattva M an ­
jusri, “ Virtuous O ne, w hen will you attain supreme enlightenment?"
M anjusri answered, “G o o d man, instead o f asking me w h eth er I progress
tow ard enlightenment, w h y do you ask me w hen I shall attain it? W h y do I ask
this? Becausc I do n o t even progress tow ard enlightenm ent; h o w then can I attain
it?”
Bodhisattva L ion o f T hu nd erin g Voice asked, ^Manjusri, Virtuous O ne, do
you n o t progress tow ard enlightenm ent for th e benefit o f sentient beings?”
M anjusri answ ered, “N o. W h y not? Because sentient beings are inapprehen­
sible. If there were sentient beings, I would progress toward enlightenm ent for
their benefit. Since neither a sentient being, nor a life, nor a personal identity
exists, I do n o t progress tow ard enlightenment, nor do I regress from it.”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hu nd erin g Voice asked, 4tManjusrI, V irtuous O ne, do
you progress tow ard th e B u d d h a-D h arm a?”
M anjusri answered, “N o, good man. All dharm as progress tow ard the Bud-
dha-D harm a. W hy? Because th ey are devoid o f defilement, bondage, shape, or
form . As the Buddha abides in suchness, so do all dharmas.
“G ood man, you asked m e w h eth er I progress tow ard the B uddha-D harm a.
N o w I am going to ask you som e questions and you m ay answ er as you like.
W hat do you think? Does form seek enlightenment? O r does the basic nature o f
form , the thusness o f form , the self-entity o f form , the emptiness o f form , the
absence o f form , or the D harm a-nature o f form seek enlightenm ent? G ood man,
w hat do you think? D oes form , the basic nature o f form, the thusness o f form , the
self-entity o f form , the emptiness o f form , the absence o f form , or the D harm a-
nature o f form attain enlightenm ent?”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hund erin g Voice answered, “No, Manjusri. Form
does not seek enlightenm ent, nor does the basic nature o f form , the thusness o f
form , the self-entity o f form , the emptiness o f form, the absencc o f form, or the
D harm a-nature o f form. F orm does n o t attain enlightenment, n o r does the basic
nature o f form , the thusness o f form , the self-entity o f form, the emptiness o f
form , th e absence o f form , or th e D harm a-nature o f fo rm .”
 M a Sijl ^ r I ’s A t t a i n m e n t o f B u d d h a h o o d 171

M anjusri asked, “ W hat do you think? D o feeling, conception, impulse, and

consciousness [or any o f the other categories] up to the D harm a-naturc o f con­
sciousness seek enlightenment? D o feeling, conception, impulse, and consciousness
attain enlightenment? O r does the basic nature o f feeling, or any o f the other
[categories], up to the D harm a-nature o f consciousness, attain enlightenm ent?”
B odhisattva Lion o f T hu nd erin g Voice answered, “N o, Manjusri. N o n e o f
th em seeks enlightenm ent an d none o f them attains enlightenm ent.n
M anjusri asked, “W hat do you think? Is there an T or ‘m in e’ apart from the
five aggregates?”
B odhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice answered, “N o . ”
M anjusri said, “It is so, it is so, good man. Then, what else can seek and
attain enlightenment?
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice said, "M anjusri, Virtuous O ne, [usu­
ally] y o u r w ords are sincerely believed by people, b u t n o w you say n o t to seek
enlightenm ent, n o t to attain enlightenment. N o vice Bodhisattvas will certainly be
frightened at such statem ents.”
M anjusri said, “G o od man, there is nothing to be feared, n o r is there fear in
reality. It is for those w h o have no fear that the Tathagata teaches the D harm a.
H o w e v e r, those w h o fear things will loathe them . T hose w h o loathe things will
renounce desire for them . T hose w h o renounce desire for things will be liberated.
T hose w h o are liberated do n o t need enlightenment. Those w h o do n o t need
enlightenm ent will n o t abide in anything. T hose w h o do n o t abide in anything will
not go. T hose w h o do n o t go will n o t come. Those w h o do n o t com e will have no
wishes. T hose w h o have no wishes will n o t regress. T hose w h o do n o t regress will
regress. F rom w h at will they regress? T h ey will regress from attachm ent to a self,
a sentient being, a life, a personal identity, nihilism, etemalism, appearance, and
discrimination. T h o se w h o regress from these will n o t regress. F rom w h at will
th ey not regress? T h ey will n o t regress fro m emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness,
reality, or the B uddha-D harm a.
“W hat is the B uddha-D harm a? It is neither detachm ent n o r attachment. It
grasps no object, enters now here, em erges from now here, practices nothing, and
defies expression. It is a nam e only, em p ty and nonarising. It neither goes nor
comcs. It is neither defiled n o r pure; it is beyond stain and stainlessness. It is
egoless and nondiscrim inating; it is n o t com posite or clinging. It is equality and
noncontradiction.
“G ood m an, the B u d d h a-D h arm a is neither a dharm a n o r a nondharm a.
W hy? Because the B u ddha-D harm a arises from now here. If a novice Bodhisattva
hears this statem ent and becomes frightened, he will eventually attain enlighten­
ment. O bserving this, one m ay think, “I m ust first bring forth bodhicitta and
abide in [deep] realization; then I can attain Buddhahood. O therwise, if I do not
bring forth bodhicitta, I can never attain B u d d h ah o o d . ， [However, actually one
should n o t even] harbor this kind o f discrimination, because both bodhicitta and
B u d d hahood are inapprehensible. If they are inapprehensible, h o w can they be
observed? If they cannot be observed, the realization will n o t be possible. W h y
172 O n E m ptin ess

not: Because w ith o u t observation, realization w ould have no [germinating] cause.4

''G ood man, what do you think? Can em pty space attain enlightenm ent?”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice answered, “N o . ”
M anjusri asked, “G o od man, has the Tathagata realized that all dharm as are
the same as em pty space?”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice answered, “Yes, he has.”
M anjusri said, “ G ood man, enlightenment is like em p ty space and em pty
space is like enlightenm ent. E nlightenm ent and em pty space are neither tw o nor
different. If a Bodhisattva know s this equality, then there will be neither that
w hich he know s [and sees] n o r that w hich he does not k n o w or see."
W hen this doctrine was spoken, fourteen thousand m onks ended their defile­
ments and becam e mentally liberated; twelve myriads o f monks w ere freed from
im purity and acquired th e clear D harm a-eye w hich sees all dharmas; ninety-six
thousand sentient beings engendered bodhicitta; and fifty-tw o thousand Bodhi­
sattvas achieved the Realization o f the Nonarising o f Dharm as.
T hen, Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice asked Manjusri, “H o w long
ago did you engender bodhicitta?”
M anjusri answered, “ Stop! G ood man, do n o t entertain any delusive thought!
In regard to the D harm a, w hich does not arise, if a person says, ‘I engender
bodhicitta. I perform the deeds o f enlightenm ent,’ he holds a very w ro n g view.
G o od man, I do n o t see any m ind w hich is engendered to seek enlightenment.
Because I see neither m ind n o r enlightenment, I engender n o th in g .”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice asked, tlManjusrI, w h at do you m ean
by ‘seeing no m in d ， ?”
M anjusri answered, “ G ood m an, ‘seeing no m in d ’ m eans equality.”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice asked further, “W h y d o you say it
m eans equality?”
M anjusri answered, “G o od m an, it means equality because no nature o f any
kind exists and all dharm as are o f one taste.3 The ‘one taste’ means there is no
attachment, no contam ination, no purity, no nihilism, no eternalism, no arising,
no cessation, no grasping, no abandoning, no self, and no sensation. H e w ho
explains the Dharm a in this w ay does n o t consider himself to be explaining any­
thing, n o r does he discriminate anything. G ood man, to practice Dharm a [in the
spirit of] this dharm a o f equality is called equality. G ood man, if a Bodhisattva
penetrates such equality, he does not see any realm, w h eth er it is the realm o f one
or the realm o f m any. H e sees no equality in equality and no contradiction in
contradiction, because th ey are both originally pure by nature.”
T hen Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice said to the Buddha, tlW orld-
H o no red O ne, M anjusri will not say h o w long ago he engendered bodhicitta, but
everyone in the assembly is eager to hear it.”
T he B uddha said, “ G ood man, M aiijusrl has achieved the very profound
realization o f truth. In the very profound realization o f truth, neither enlighten­
m en t n o r m ind is to be found. Because both are inapprehensible, he does n o t say
 M a n ju s r I's A t t a in m e n t o f B u d d h a h o o d 1 73

h o w lo n g ago he engendered bodhicitta. H ow ever, good m an, n o w I am going to

tell you h o w long ago Maiijusrl engendered bodhicitta.
“G ood man, in the past, as m an y kalpas ago as the incalculable sands o f
seven h undred thousand Ganges Rivers and more, a B uddha nam ed T hunderous
Voice Tathagata, the W o rth y O ne, the Supremely Enlightened O ne, appeared in
the w orld. A t that time, in the east, seventy-tw o myriads ot Buddha-lands aw ay
from here, there was a w o rld nam ed Nonarising, w here T hunderous Voice T atha­
gata taught the D harm a. There w ere eight billion four hundred million myriads
o f Sravakas there, and twice as m any Bodhisattvas.
“G o od man, at that time, there was a king nam ed Universal Enfolding. He
was a universal m onarch w h o possessed all the seven treasures and ruled the tour
continents in accordance w ith the T ru e D harm a. For eighty-four thousand years,
he respectfully offered w onderful clothing, food and drink, palaces, towers, pavil­
ions, servants, and services to T hunderous Voice Tathagata and his Bodhisattvas
and Sravakas. His empress, royal relatives, maids o f honor, princcs, and ministers
did nothing but m ake offerings, and never tired o f it, though they m ade offerings
fo r years.
“After that, the king th o u g h t alone in a quiet place, ‘I have already accum u­
lated m an y great good roots, but I have n o t yet decided h o w I shall dedicate
them . D o I seek to be a sakra, a brahm a, a universal m onarch, a Sravaka, or a
y- -

Pratyekabuddha?’
“After he th o u g ht thus, the gods in the air said to him, ‘Y our Majesty, do
not engender such a narrow , inferior aspiration! W hy? Bccause, having gathered so
m an y blessings and virtues, Y our Majesty should engender suprem e bodhicitta .，
“W hen King Universal Enfolding heard those w ords, he was very glad and
thought, 'F ro m n o w on, I shall m ost definitely n o t regress from bodhicitta. W hy?
Bccausc gods know m y m ind and com c to rem ind m e .，
“G o od man, then the king, together w ith m ore than eight billion m y r­
iads o f other sentient beings, w ent to T hunderous Voice Buddha. O n arrival, they
all prostrated themselves w ith their heads at the B uddha's feet, made, seven cir­
cum am bulations to his right, bow ed respectfully, and joined their palms tow ard
the Buddha. T hen K ing Universal Enfolding spoke in verse:

‘N o w I shall ask the Suprem e O n e a question.

M ay he answ er it for me!
H o w can one bccom e a Supremely H o no red O n e am ong humans?
T o the Refuge o f the w orld
I have m ade offerings for a long time,
But, w avering in m ind, I did n o t k now
H o w to dedicate m y merits.
[Alone, I thought,]
“I have cultivated great blessings and virtues;
174 O n E m p tin ess

H o w shall I dedicate them?

D o I seek to be a brahma, a sakra,
O r a universal monarch?
D o I seek to be a Sravaka
O r a Pratyekabuddha?"
W hen I th ought in this way,
T he gods in the air told me,
“Y our Majesty, engender not
A narrow , inferior aspiration
As you dedicate y our merits!
For the sake o f all living beings,
Y our M ajesty should make a great vow.
In order to benefit the w orld
Y our M ajesty should engender bodhicitta.”
N o w I beg the W orld -H o n o red One,
W ho has free co m m an d o f dharmas,
T o tell m e h o w to engender bodhicitta,
So that I shall attain (enlightenment]
As the M uni has.
May the H onored One am ong gods and hum ans
Explain this for me!’

“T hen T hunderous Voice Tathagata spoke to K in g Universal Enfolding in

verse:

‘Y o u r Majesty, listen attentively.

I am going to explain this to you point by point.
All dharmas result from causcs and conditions
A nd can accord w ith one's inclinations;
O n e can acquire the results one wishes.
In m y past lives, I also engendered bodhicitta,
W ishing to benefit all sentient beings.
In accordance w ith m y w ish and m y bodhicitta
E ngendered in the past,
I attained enlightenm ent quickly
A nd never regressed from it.
Y our M ajesty should earnestly
Cultivate all (virtuous] deeds;
T hen you will attain
T he great, supreme enlightenm ent o f B u d d h a h o o d /
 M a n j u s r i 's A tt a in m e n t o f B u d d h a h o o d 175

“W hen King U niversal Enfolding heard the B u d dh a’s teaching, he rejoiced

as he never had before. H e m ade a great lion’s roar in the presence o f the as­
sembly, speaking in verse:

‘N o w , in the presence o f the entire assembly, ‘

I bring forth bodhicitta
For the sake o f all sentient beings.
I vow to involve m yself in sarhsara countless times
T o bring great boons to living beings
U ntil the end o f the future.
I shall cultivate all the Bodhisattva’s deeds
T o save living beings from their sufferings.
From this m o m en t on, if I break m y v o w
A nd becom c greedy, miserly, or resentful,
I shall be deceiving the Buddhas in the ten directions.
From today until the day
I attain enlightenment,
I shall always follow the Buddhas
In cultivating pure conduct;
I shall observe the pure precepts
A nd co m m it no misdeeds.
I shall not chcrish the idea,
O f attaining B u d d hahood in haste,
But until the end o f the future,
I shall benefit all living beings,
A n d adorn and purify incalculable,
Inconceivable Buddha-lands.
M y nam e shall be heard ‘
T h ro u g h o u t the worlds in the ten directions.
N o w I prophesy on m y o w n behalf
T h at I shall w ith o u t fail becom e a Buddha.
Because m y aspiration is superior and pure,
I have no do u b t o f m y achievement.
I shall purify m y words, thoughts, and deeds
A nd let no tracc o f evil arise.
In accordance w ith this sincere vow ,
I shall [eventually| becom e a Buddha,
An H o no red O n e am o n g hum an beings.
176 O n E m p tin ess

If m y v o w is truly sincere,
M ay the six kinds o f quakes shake the great earth!
If m y w ords arc genuine and not false,
M ay musical instrum ents sound spontaneously in the air!
I am free o f flattery or resentment;
If this is true,
M ay flowers o f the coral tree rain dow n!’

“W hen K ing Universal Enfolding had spoken this verse, the six kinds o f
quakes sh o o k billions o f Buddha-lands in th e ten directions, musical instrum ents
sounded in the air, and flowers o f the coral tree rained dow n, all bccausc His
M ajesty’s v o w was sincere. A t that time, tw o billion ot the king’s attendants
rejoiced in ecstasy. T h ey said to themselves w ith delight, lW c shall attain suprem e
enlightenm ent,' and thus followed the k in g ’s example by engendering bodhicitta.”
T he Buddha said to the assembly, “W ho was King Universal Enfolding o f
th at time? H e was no other th an Bodhisattva M anjusrl o f today. In th e past, as
m a n y kalpas ago as th e incalculable sands o f seven hundred thousand Ganges Rivers
and more, he engendered bodhicitta for the first time. Then, after kalpas as nu ­
m erous as the sands o f sixty-four Ganges Rivers, he achieved the Realization of the
N onarising o f Dharmas, attained all the ten stages o f a Bodhisattva, and acquired
the ten pow ers o f a Tathagata. H e perfected every D harm a o f the Buddha-stagc,
but he never thought: ‘I shall becom c a Buddha!’
“G o od man, the tw o billion people o f that tim e w ho attended o n the king
and engendered bodhicitta in the presence o f Thunderous Voicc Buddha w ere all
persuaded by M aiijusrl to practicc [the paramitas of| giving, discipline, paticncc,
vigor, m editation, and wisdom. N o w they have all attained suprem e enlighten­
ment, turned the great D harm a-w heel, and, after finishing the B uddha-w ork, have
entered parinirvana. M anjusrl has m ade offerings to all those Tathagatas and p ro ­
tected and upheld their D harm as. N o w only one B uddha [of the tw o billion]
remains, w hose nam e is M o u n t Earth-H oldcr. T he w orld of that B uddha is nam ed
Earth-H oldcr, and lies in the low er direction, as m an y Buddha-lands aw ay from
here as the n u m b er o f the sands o f forty Ganges Rivers. There arc coundcss
Sravakas there. T he life span o f that Buddha, w h o is still alive, is im m easurable.”
W hen Manjusrl's past was related, seven thousand sentient beings in the as­
sem bly engendered suprem e bodhicitta.

hi

T h en Bodhisattva Lion o f T h u nd erin g Voicc asked Maiijusrl, “Virtuous O ne,

since you have attained the ten stages o f a Bodhisattva, fully acquired the ten
 M a n ju sr i^ A t t a in m e n t of B uddhahood 177

pow ers o f a Tathagata, and accomplished all Buddha-D harm as, w h y do you not
attain supreme enlightenm ent?”
M anjusri answered, “G ood man, no one realizes enlightenm ent after he has
achieved perfection in all7 Buddha-Dharm as. Why? Becausc, if one has achieved
perfection in all Buddha-Dharm as, he need not realize anything m o re .”
Bodhisattva Lion of T hundering Voice asked, “H o w can one achicvc perfec­
tion in all B uddha-D harm as?”
M anjusri answered, “T o achicve perfection in the B uddha-D harm as is to
achieve perfection in suchness. T o achieve pcrfcction in suchness is to achicve
perfection in em p ty spacc. Thus, the Buddha-D harm as, suchness, and em p ty space
are [all| one and the same. G ood man, you ask, ‘H o w can one achicve pcrfcction
in all B uddha-D harm as?，Just as a person can achieve perfection in form, feel­
ing, conception, impulse, and consciousness, so he can achieve pcrfcction in all
Buddha-D harm as. ”8
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice asked, 41W hat docs it mean to achicve
perfection in form and other dharm as?”
M anjusri asked in turn, “G ood man, w h at do you think? Is the form you see
perm anent or im perm anent?”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice said, “It is neither.”
M anjusri asked, “G o od man, i f som ething is neither perm anent n o r im per­
m anent, does it increase or decrease?”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T h u nd erin g Voice answered, “N o . ”
MaiijusrT said, “G o od man, if you realize that things do not increase or
dccrcasc, you are said to achieve perfection in them. W h y so? If you do n o t
thoroughly understand things, you will m ak e discriminations am o n g them. It'you
thoroughly understand things, you will n o t m ak e discriminations am o n g them. If
things are n o t discriminated, they do n o t increase or decrease. If they do not
increase or decrease, th ey arc equal. G ood man, if you see equality in form, you
achicve pcrfcction in form. T h e same is true w ith feeling, conccption, impulse,
consciousness, and all o th er d h a r m a s .
Then, Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice asked Manjusri, “ Virtuous
O ne, since you achieved the Realization o f the N onarising o f Dharm as, you have
never harbored a notion [in your mind] o f attaining suprem e enlightenment. W hy
do you n o w urge others to progress tow ard enlightenm ent?”
M anjusri answered, “I really do not urge any sentient beings to progress
tow ard enlightenm ent. W hy? Becausc sentient beings are nonexistent and devoid
o f self-entity. If sentient beings w ere apprehensible, I w ould causc them to pro­
gress tow ard enlightenment, but sincc they are inapprehensible, I do n o t urge
them to do so. W hy? Becausc enlightenm ent and sentient beings are equal and ; ^
not different from each other. Equality cannot be sought by equality. In equality,
nothing originates. Therefore, I often say that one should observe all phenom ena
as com ing fro m n ow here and going now here, w hich is called equality, that is,
1 78 O n E m p tin ess

emptiness. In emptiness, there is nothing to seek. G ood man, you said, ‘Since
%'ou achieved the Realization o f the N onarising o f Dharmas, you have never
harbored a notion [in y our mind] o f attaining suprem e enlightenm ent•’ G ood
m “ do vou see the mind? D o you rely on the m ind to attain enlightenm ent?”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice said, “N o, Manjusri. W hy not? Be­
cause the m ind, unlike form , is invisible, and so is enlightenment. T hey are arbi­
trary nam es only. T h e names ‘m in d ’ and ‘enlightenm ent，do not exist.”
M anjusri said, “ G ood man, there is an esoteric implication in y our statem ent
that I have never harbored a notion [in m y mind] o f attaining enlightenment.
Why? Because the m ind has never com c into being. Since the m ind has never come
into being, w h at can it apprehend or realize?”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voicc asked, “W hat does it m ean to realize
equality?”
M anjusri answered, “T o be detached from all dharm as is to realize equality.
T h e so-called realization means the subtle w isdom , which neither arises n o r ceases,
is identical w ith suchness, and cannot be discriminated. If a D harm a-cultivator
w ith right view com prehends the truth that in equality there is nothing to be
attained, and does not attach him self either to multiplicity or to oneness, then he
has realized equality. If a person realizes that all dharmas are signless, com prehends
that signlessness is their sign, and does not cling to his bod y or mind, then he has
perfectly realized equality.”
Bodhisattva Lion of T hundering Voice asked, “W hat is ‘attainm ent， ？，’
Maiijusrl answered, “ ‘A ttainm ent，is a conventional expression. In fact, w h at
saints attain is inexpressible. W hy? Because the D harm a rests upon no th in g and is
beyond speech. Furtherm ore, good man, to regard nonattainm ent as attainment,
and as neither attainm ent n o r nonattainm ent, is called [the true] attainm ent.’’9
Then, Bodhisattva Lion of T hundering Voice said to the Buddha, 41W orld-
H onored O ne, m ay you tell us about the Buddha-land w hich M anjusri will
achieve!”
T he B uddha said, “G o od m an, you should ask Manjusri, yourself.”
At this, Bodhisattva Lion of T hundering Voicc asked Manjusri, “V irtuous
O ne, w h at kind o f m erits and adornm ents will you achieve for your Buddha-
land?"
Manjusri, said, “ G ood man, if I sought enlightenment, you could ask me
w hat kind o f Buddha-land I shall achicvc.”
Bodhisattva Lion of T hundering Voicc asked, “Virtuous O ne, do you n o t
seek enlightenm ent?”
M anjusri answered, “I do not. W h y so? If one seeks anything, he is tainted
and attached. If one is tainted, he has craving. If one has craving, he takes birth. If
one takes birth, he has [more] craving. If one has craving, he will never be
liberated. Therefore, good man, I do not seek enlightenment. W hy not? Because
enlightenm ent is unattainable. Because it is unattainable, I do n o t seek it. G ood
m an, you asked m e w h at kind o f Buddha-land I shall achieve, b u t I cannot tell
 M a n ju s r T 's A t t a i n m e n t o f B u d d h a h o o d 1 79

you. W hy not? Because if a Bodhisattva speaks o f the merits and magnificence o f

his future Buddha-land in the presence o f th e Tathagata, the A ll-K now ing O n e, he
is praising his o w n virtue•”
T h e B uddha told Manjusrl, “Y ou m ay tell them b y w hat kind o f vow s you
will adorn y o u r Buddha-land, so that the Bodhisattvas hearing those vow s will
resolve to fulfil th em also.”
T hus instructed by the Tathagata, Manjusri rose from his seat, bared his
right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, join ed his palms, and said to the Buddha,
“ W orld -H o n o red O ne, no w , by the miraculous powers vested in me by the B u d ­
dha, I am going to speak o f m y vows. T hose w h o wish to seek great enlighten­
m en t should listen attentively, study them according to the truth, and fulfill them
after hearing them set fo rth ."
W hen M anjusri knelt on his right knee, the six kinds of quakes shook B u d ­
dha-lands as innum erable as the sands o f the Ganges in each o f the ten directions.
M anjusrl addressed the Buddha, saying, “H undreds o f thousands o f [mil­
lions of] billions o f m yriads o f kalpas ago, I vowed: ‘If all the [future] Tathagatas10
in countless Buddha-lands in the ten directions, w h o m I see w ith m y unhindered
dcva-cyc, are n o t persuaded by m e to engender bodhicitta or taught by m e to
cultivate giving, discipline, patience, vigor, meditation, and w isdom and to attain
supreme enlightenment, I shall not attain bodhi. O nly after the fulfillment o f this
vow shall I attain supreme enlightenm ent.’ ”
A t that time, the Bodhisattvas in the assembly all thought, “H o w m any
Tathagatas can M anjusrl sec with his unhindered deva-eyc?”
K now in g w h at all those Bodhisattvas thought, the W orld -H o n o red O n e said
to Bodhisattva Lion o f T hu nd erin g Voice, “G o o d man, suppose this billion-world
universe w ere broken into tiny dust-motcs. W hat do you think? C o u ld the n u m b er
o f these dust-m otes be k n o w n th ro u g h counting?”
Bodhisattva L io n o f T hundering Voice answered, “N o , W o rld-H onored
O n e .”
The B uddha said, “G o o d man, M anjusrl with his unhindered dcva-eyc sees
m ore Buddhas in the cast than the n u m b er o f such dust-m otes. T h e same is true in
the south, in the west, in the north, in each o f the four intermediate directions, in
the zenith and in the n ad ir.”
M anjusrl then said to the Buddha, “Furtherm ore, W orld -H o n o red O ne, I
have v o w e d to com bine the w orlds of Buddhas as innum erable as the sands of the
Ganges into a single B uddha-land and to adorn it with incalculable, intermingled,
exquisite jewels. If I cannot do this, I shall never attain suprem e enlightenment.
“ Furtherm ore, W o rld -H o n o red One, I have vow ed to causc m y land to have
a bodhi-tree as big as ten billion-w orld universes; that tree will shed a light all over
m y B ud d h a-lan d .11
41Furtherm ore, W orld -H o n o red O ne, I have vow ed not to rise from m y seat
under the bodhi-trcc from the tim e I sit d o w n upon the seat until I attain supreme
enlightenm ent and enter nirvana, [and during that time] to teach the D harm a by
180 O n E m ptin ess

magically produced bodies to sentient beings in incalculable, numberless Buddha-

lands in the ten directions.
••Furthermore, W o rld-H onored O ne, I have vow ed to cause m y land to lack
the nam e ‘w o m a n ,，and to be inhabited by num erous Bodhisattvas w h o arc free
from the filth o f afflictions, w h o cultivate pure conduct, and w h o are sponta­
neously bo rn dressed in monastic robes and seated w ith crossed legs. [I have vow ed
to cause m y land to] have no Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas, even in name, except
those magically produced by the Tathagata to explain the doctrines o f the three
vehicles to sentient beings [of other Buddha-lands] in the ten directions•”
Then, Bodhisattva Lion of T hundering Voice asked the Buddha, tlW orld-
H ono red O ne, w h at will be M anjusrrs nam e w h en he becomes a B uddha?”
T h e B uddha answered, “ G ood m an, w h e n M anjusri becomes a Buddha, he
will be nam ed Universal Sight. W hy? Because that Tathagata will m ake him self
visible to all the sentient beings in innum erable hundreds o f thousands o f billions
o f myriads o f Buddha-lands in the ten directions. T he sentient beings w h o see that
B uddha will certainly attain supreme enlightenment. A lthough [the future] U n i­
versal Sight Tathagata has not yet becom e a Buddha, all those w h o hear his name
m entioned, either w hen I still live in the w orld or after I enter parinirvana, will
also attain suprem e enlightenm ent w ith o u t fail, except those w h o have already-
attained the stage o f n o nrebirth12 and those w h o have a narrow , inferior aspiration.， ’
M anjusri said to the Buddha, “Furtherm ore, W orld-H onored O ne, I have
v o w ed that, ju st as the inhabitants o f A mitabha B u d d h a’s land have joy in the
D h arm a for food, in m y land the Bodhisattvas will all have in their right hands a
b o w l full of delicacies as soon as they think of food. After a m om ent, they will
think, 4U nder no circumstances will I eat any o f this myself before I have offered it
to the Buddhas in the ten directions and given it to poor, suffering sentient beings,
such as h u n g ry ghosts, until th ey arc satiated. ’ After thinking this, th ey will obtain
the five miraculous powers, enabling them to fly in space w ith o u t hindrance; and
then will go to offer the delicacies to the Buddhas, Tathagatas, and Sravakas in
num berless Buddha-lands in the ten directions. T he Bodhisattvas from m y land
will give the food to all the poor, distressed sentient beings in all those Buddha-
lands and will explain the D harm a to them so as to free them from the thirst of
desire. It will take the Bodhisattvas only an instant to accomplish all this and come
back to their o w n land.
“Furtherm ore, W orld-H onored O ne, I have v o w e d that w hen th ey are ju st
born, all the Bodhisattvas in m y land will obtain at will in their hands w hatever
kinds o f precious clothes they need, clean and fit for sramanas. T hen they will
think, ‘I shall n o t use these m yself until I have offered them to the Buddhas in the
ten directions.’ T hereupon, they will go to offer their precious clothes to the
Buddhas o f countless Buddha-lands in the ten directions and then return to their
o w n land, all in a m om ent. O nly after this will they enjoy the clothing themselves.
“ Furtherm ore, W orld-H onored O ne, I have vow ed that the Bodhisattvas in
 M a n ju s r I 's A t t a i n m e n t o f B u d d h a h o o d 181

m y land will offer their wealth, treasures, and necessities o f life to Buddhas and
Sravakas13 before th ey themselves enjoy them.
“Furtherm ore, [I have vow ed that] m y land will be free from the eight
adversities, unw holesom e dharmas, w ro ngdoing and prohibition, pain, annoyance,
and unhappiness.”
Then, Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice asked the Buddha, “W hat will
that B uddha-land be nam ed?”
T h e B uddha answered, “T h a t Buddha-land will be named Wish-Fulfilling
A ccum ulation o f Perfect P urity.”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice asked, “In w hat direction will that
Buddha-land be located?”
T he B uddha answered, “ In the south. T h e Saha W orld will also be contained
in it.”
M anjusri continued speaking to the Buddha, “Furtherm ore, I have vow ed
that m y Buddha-land will be form ed o f incalculable am ounts o f w onderful jew els
and adorned w ith innumerable, interlaced, exquisite pearls. These pearls will be
exceptionally rare and difficult to find in the ten directions; their names will be so
num erous that no one could finish recounting them , even in millions o f years. M y
land will appear to be m ade o f gold to the Bodhisattvas w ho w ish it to be m ade of
gold, and will appear to be made o f silver to the Bodhisattvas w h o wish it to be
m ade o f silver, w ith o u t affccting its golden appcarancc to those w h o wish it to be
m ade o f gold. A ccording to the Bodhisattvas ，wishes, it will appear to be m ade o f
crystal, lapis lazuli, agate, pearls, or any other treasure w ithout affecting its ap ­
pearance to others. It will also appear to be m ade o f fragrant sandalwood, o f
fragrant alocwood, o f red sandalwood, or o f any other k in d o f w o o d , all according
to the Bodhisattvas’ w ishes.14
“M y land will not be illuminated by the brilliance o f suns, m oons, pearls,
stars, fire, and so forth. All the Bodhisattvas there will illuminate hundreds o f
billions o f myriads o f Buddha-lands w ith their o w n lights. In m y land, it will be
daytim e w h e n flowers o p en and night w hen flowers d o s e ,15 and th e seasons will
change according to the Bodhisattvas ，wishes. There will be no cold, heat, old age,
illness, or death.
“If they wish, Bodhisattvas in m y land m ay go to any other land to
attain [supreme] enlightenment; they will attain it after dcsccnding from the
Tusita H eaven w hen their lives come to an end there. N o one in m y Buddha-
land will enter nirvaiia.16
“T h o ug h they will n o t appear in the sky, hundreds o f thousands o f musical
instrum ents will be heard; their music will not be the sounds o f greedy desire, but
the sounds o f the paramitas, the,B uddha, the D harm a, the Samgha, and the doc­
trines o f the Bodhisattva^ canon. T he Bodhisattvas will be able to hear the
w onderful D harm a in proportion to their understanding. If they wish to see
the Buddha, th ey will see U niversal Sight T athagata sitting under the bodhi-
182 O n E m p tiness

tree as soon as they think o f seeing him, w herever they are, w hether walking,
sitting, or standing. Bodhisattvas w h o have doubts about the D h arm a will
break th e net o f their doubts and com prehend the im p o rt o f the D harm a at the
sight of that Buddha, without receiving any explanation■”
Then, in the assembly, incalculable hundreds o f thousands o f billions o f
m yriads o f Bodhisattvas said in unison, “ He w h o hears th e n am e o f Universal
Sight B uddha will obtain excellent benefits, let alone those w h o arc born in his
land. If a person has an opp o rtu n ity to hear the doctrine o f the Prediction o f
M anjusri's A ttainm ent o f B uddhahood explained and th e nam e o f M anjusri m en ­
tioned, he is m eeting all Buddhas face to face.”
T he B uddha said to those Bodhisattvas, “It is so, it is so, ju st as you say.
G o od m en, suppose a person keeps in m in d hundreds o f thousands o f billions o f
B u d d h as’ names. A nd suppose another person keeps in m in d the n am e o f B odhi­
sattva M anjusri. T he blessings o f the latter ou tn u m b er those o f the former, let
alone the blessings o f those w h o keep in m ind the nam e o f U niversal Sight B u d ­
dha. W hy? Becausc even the benefits w h ich hundreds o f thousands o f |millions of]
billions o f m yriads o f Buddhas give to sentient beings cannot com pare w ith those
w hich M anjusri gives during one kalpa."
T hereupon, in the assembly, innumerable hundreds of thousands of billions
o f m yriads o f gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, m a­
horagas, humans, nonhum ans, and so forth said in unison, “ We take refuge in the
youthful Bodhisattva Manjusri. Wc take refuge in Universal Sight Tathagata, the
W orthy One, the Suprem ely Enlightened O n e .”
A fter saying that, eight trillion four hundred billion m yriads o f sentient
beings engendered supreme bodhicitta. Incalculable num bers o f sentient beings
brought their good roots to m aturity and gained nonrcgression from the three
vehicles.17
M anjusri again said to the Buddha, “Furtherm ore, I have vow ed to fill m y
B uddha-land w ith all the merits and magnificence o f the lands o f the hundreds o f
thousands o f [millions o f] billions o f myriads o f Buddhas, W orld-H onored Ones,
w h o m I have seen before. H ow ever, m y land will lack the tw o vehicles, the five
depravities, and so forth. W orld-H onored O ne, if I myself enumerate the merits
and magnificence o f m y Buddha-land, I cannot finish doing so even in kalpas as
innum erable as the sands o f the Ganges. O n ly the B uddha know s the scope o f m y
vow . ” 18
T he B uddha said, “It is so, Manjusri. T he Tathagata can know and see
everything in the past, present, and future w ithout limit or hindrance."
T hen, in the assembly, som e Bodhisattvas thought, “Will the merits and
magnificencc o f the Buddha-land achieved by M anjusri be equal to those o f A m i-
tabha’s Buddha-land?"
T he W orld-H onored O ne, know ing these Bodhisattvas ，thoughts, im m e­
diately told Bodhisattva Lion o f T h u n d e rin g Voice, “ Suppose a person splits a hair
into one hundred parts and, w ith one part, takes a droplet o f w ater from a vast
 M a n ju s r i's A t t a i n m e n t o f B u d d h a h o o d 183

ocean. If he compares the droplet of w ater to the magnificence of A m itabha’s

Buddha-land, and the rem aining w ater o f the vast ocean to the magnificence o f
Universal Sight T athagata^ land, th e contrast will still n o t suffice. W hy? Because
the magnificence o f Universal Sight Tathagata's land is inconceivable■ ，’
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice asked the Buddha, “W orld -H o n o red
One, is there any B uddha-land as magnificent as that Buddha-land in the past ，
p re sen t，or future?”
T h e B u d d h a an sw ered ，“T h ere is o n e，good man. In the east, there is a
B uddha-land nam ed A biding in the Unexcelled V o w ，w hich is so far aw ay that to
get there one m ust pass worlds as innumerable as the sands o f ten billion Ganges
Rivers. T here is a Buddha there nam ed K ing o f Universal, Eternal Light and
M eritorious Ocean. T he life span o f that B uddha is imm easurable and infinite.
H e always teaches the D h arm a to Bodhisattvas. G o od m an，the merits and m ag­
nificence o f that Buddha-land are exactly like those o f U niversal Sight’s B u d ­
dha-land. n . . .
T h e n ，Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice asked the Buddha, tlW orld-
H o no red O ne, w hen will M anjusri attain suprem e enlightenm ent? H o w long will
that B uddha live; h o w m an y Bodhisattvas will he have?”
T h e B uddha answered, “G o o d m an ，you should ask M anjusri y o u rs e lf”
A t this，Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice asked Manjusri, “Virtuous
O ne, w h en will you attain suprem e enlightenm ent?”
M anjusri answ ered，“ G ood m an ，if the realm o f space could becom e a phys­
ical body, I could attain suprem e enlightenment. If a magically produced person
could attain enlightenm ent, I could attain it. If an undefiled A rhat could be no
other than suprem e enlightenm ent, I could attain it. If a dream, an echo，a reflec­
tion, or a magically produced being could attain enlightenment, I could attain it. If
it could be daytim e w hen the m o o n shines and nighttim e w hen the sun shines，I
could attain suprem e enlightenment. Good man, you should ask y o u r question o f
those w h o seek enlightenm ent.”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice asked, “Virtuous O ne, do you not
seek enlightenm ent?”
M anjusri answ ered ， “No. W hy not? Becausc M anjusri is no other than
enlightenm ent and vice versa. W hy? Because 'M anjusri1 is only an arbitrary nam e
and so is ‘suprem e enlightenm ent.’ Furtherm ore，the nam e is nonexistent and
cannot act; therefore, it is em pty. T he nature o f emptiness is no other than
en lightenm ent.”
T h e n ，the B uddha asked Bodhisattva Lion of T hundering Voice, “H ave you
ever seen o r heard the Sravakas and Bodhisattvas in the assembly o f Am itabha
Tathagata?15
B odhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice answ ered ，“Yes, I have.”
T h e B uddha asked, “H o w m an y are there?”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T h u nd erin g Voice answered, “Their n u m b er is in­
calculable and inconceivable.”
184 O n E m p tiness

丁he Buddha said, “G ood man, com pare one kernel taken from a bushel of
linseed from the kingdom o f Magadha to the num ber of the Sravakas and Bodhi­
sattvas in Amitabha B uddha’s land, and compare the kernels remaining in the
bushel to the n u m b er o f the Bodhisattvas in M aiijusrrs assembly w hen he attains
suprem e enlightenm ent— even this contrast is inadequate.19
“G o od m an, if one compares the n u m b er o f the tiny dust-m otes in this
billion-w orld universe to the num ber o f kalpas for w hich Universal Sight Tatha­
gata will live, one will find that the former, even multiplied by one hundred thou­
sand billion, or by any amount, numerical or figurative, is still less than the latter.
You should k n o w that the life span o f U niversal Sight Tathagata is incalculable
and limitless.
“Suppose a person breaks a billion-world universe into tiny dust-motes, and
another person does the same, and so on [up to ten persons]. T h en one o f them
takes all the tiny dust-m otes [from one billion-world universe] and goes tow ard
the cast, drop p in g one dust-m otc after he passes th ro u g h w orlds as n u m erous as all
the dust-m otes he carries. After he passes again through the same n u m b er o f worlds,
he drops another dust-m otc. H e docs so until he has d ropped all the tiny dust-
m otes. A n oth er person [of the ten] walks to w ard the south [and does the same].
This continues until the same is done in the west, the north, each o f the four
interm ediate directions, th e zenith, and th e nadir. G o o d m an, can anyone k now
the n u m b er o f these worlds that have been thus traversed?”
Bodhisattva L ion o f T hundering Voicc answered, “N o . ”
The B uddha asked, “ G ood m an, suppose these ten persons break into tiny
dust-m otes every world in the ten directions that they pass through, w hether they
d rop a dust-m ote there or not. W hat do you think? Can anyone k n o w the n u m ber
o f these dust-m otes th ro u g h counting?”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T h u nd erin g Voicc answered, “ N o, W o rld -H o n o red
O ne. A nyone w h o tries to count them will becom e confused and will n ot be able
to k n o w their n u m b e r.”
The B uddha said, “G o od man, all Buddhas, Tathagatas, can know the n u m ­
ber o f those tiny dust-m otes. Even a greater n u m b er than this is know able to the
T athagatas■， ’
Then Bodhisattva Maitreya said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, in
order to attain such great w isdom , Bodhisattvas should never give up the pursuit
o f it even if they go th ro ug h extrem ely grievous sufferings in vast hells for in­
calculable billions o f kalpas.”
T he B uddha said, “Maitrcya, it is so, it is so, just as you say. For w ho
would not desire and enjoy such great wisdom, except those w h o are lowly and
inferior and those w ho are lazy and lethargic?”
W hen this w isdom was explained, ten thousand sentient beings engendered
bodhicitta.
T h en the B uddha said to Bodhisattva Lion o f T h u n d e rin g Voicc, “ G ood
m an, w h at do you think? M anjusri will follow the Bodhisattva-path for kalpas as
 M a n j u s r i 's A t t a in m e n t of B uddhahood 185

num erous as the tiny dust-m otes in the w orlds in the ten directions wherein those
ten persons pass. W hy? Bccausc inconccivablc arc M aniusrfs great vows, his de­
term ination and pursuits; so are his life span and assembly ot Bodhisattvas after he
attains supreme enlightenm ent.”
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored
One, M an ju srrs aspiration is very great, and so are the practiccs he has cultivated.
N ev er has he wearied o f them , even for kalpas as num erous as the tiny dust-m otes
m entioned before.”
M anjusri said, “It is so, it is so, good man, just as y o u say. W hat d o you
think? Does the realm o f space conceive the idea that it endures tor davs, nights,
m onths, seasons, years, and kalpas?
Bodhisattva Lion o f T hundering Voice answered, “N o . ”
M anjusri said, “It is so, good man. T hose w h o com prehend that all dharmas
are [in reality] equal to space have nondiscriminating, subtle w isdom and do not
think, ‘I endure for days, nights, m onths, seasons, years, and kalpas.’ Whv* Be­
cause they have no th o u g h t o f dharmas. G ood man, the realm ot spacc never
thinks that it feels tired or afflicted. W hy? Becausc, even after kalpas as innum er­
able as the sands o f the Ganges elapse, the realm o f spacc will not arise, nor will it
be consum ed by fire and ruined; it is indestructible. Why? Because the realm of
spacc does n o t exist. Therefore, good man, if a Bodhisattva understands that no
dharm a exists, he will have no burning afflictions and no weariness. G ood man,
the nam e ‘spacc’ is free from destruction by fire. It is devoid ot burning afflictions,
and feels no fatigue. It does n o t m ove or alter. It neither arises n o r ages. It neither
comes nor goes. T he same is the ease w ith 'M anjusri.5 W hy? Because a name is
devoid o f sclf-naturc.”
When
,''、 this
. ■ - ■doctrinc
• .... was spoken, the four great dcva kings, Sakra, Brahm a,
gods o P a w e so m e virtue, and others all said in unison, “T h e sentient beings w h o
hear this doctrine explained will certainly acquire good, great benefits, let alone
those w h o accept, practice, read, and rccitc it. It should be k n o w n that the good
roots they achieve will be very extensive and great. W o rld-H onored O ne, wc shall
accept, practicc, read, rccitc, propagate, and circulate this profound doctrine, be­
cause w e w ant to protect and uphold it."
Then, Bodhisattva Lion of T hundering Voice asked the Buddha, uW orld-
H onored O ne, suppose a person, after hearing this doctrinc explained, accepts,
practiccs, reads, and recites it; ponders u p o n it; and resolves to adorn a Buddha-
land w ith merits. W hat degree o f blessing will he acquire?”
T he B uddha answered, “ G ood man, the Tathagata sees m any Buddhas and
their lands w ith his unhindered Buddha-eye. Suppose a Bodhisattva otfcrs to each
o f these Tathagatas w onderful treasures enough to fill all these Tathagatas5 lands
until the end o f the future, abides securely in the pure prcccpts, and treats all
sentient beings w ith impartiality. Suppose another Bodhisattva accepts, practices,
reads, and recites the doctrine o f [M anjusrfs] A dorning a B uddha-Land w ith M er­
its, and vows to follow the path M anjusrl has trodden, even for as little time as it
186 O n JE.m p t i n e s s

takes to walk <$even )steps. T he merits of the former, even multiplied by one
hundred, or by any am ount, numerical or figurative, will still be less than those of
the latter.”
T hen Bodhisattva M aitreya asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, w h at
should w e called this D harm a-door? H o w should we uphold it?”
T he B uddha answ ered, “This D h arm a-d o o r is called ‘T h e B uddhas’ Free
C o m m a n d o f M iraculous P o w ers,，or ‘T h e Fulfilm ent o f V o w s,，or 'M anjusrrs
A dorning a B uddha-Land w ith M erits,，or ‘Giving Jo y to Bodhisattvas W ho E n­
gender B odhicitta,，o r ‘T h e Prediction o f M anjusri's A ttainm ent o f B u d d h ah o o d .，
Y ou should accept and uphold it by these n am es.”
In order to m ake offerings to this doctrine, the Bodhisattvas w h o had com e
from the ten directions caused m an y flowers to rain dow n, and praised the B u d ­
dha, saying, “T h e W orld-H onored O n e is m o st extraordinary! H o w fortunate we
arc to have such an cxccllent opp o rtu n ity to hear this inconceivable, magnificent
doctrine explained by M anjusri w ith a lion’s roar!” After uttering these w ords,
th ey retu rned to their respective lands.
W hen this doctrine was spoken, Bodhisattvas as innumerable as the sands o f
the Ganges gained nonregression and th e good roots o f countless sentient beings
came to maturity.
T hen M anjusri im m ediately entered the Samadhi o f the B odhisattva’s E m it­
ting Lights to Reveal All D harm as as Illusory. After he entered the samadhi, he
causcd the assem bly to see all the Tathagatas in all the incalculable Buddha-lands in
the ten directions, and a M anjusri relating the m erits and magnificence o f his
Buddha-land in the presence o f each Buddha. After the assembly had seen this,
they all believed the sublime, great vow s o f M anjusri to be extraordinary.
W hen the Buddha had explained this sutra, the Bodhisattvas, m onks, nuns,
laym en, layw om en, gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras,
m ahoragas ， hum ans, and nonhum ans all rcjoiccd at the B u d d h a’s teaching, ac­
cepted it w ith faith, and began to practice it w ith veneration.

NOTES
1. In w hat sense these people became enlightened is not clear in the text. Docs
‘enlig h ten m e n t，here m ean the realization o f em ptiness or suchncss, o r m erely a kind o f
aw akening to certain truths? D id these people all reach the sam e degree o f enlightenm ent or
not? T h e text does n o t say. H ow ever, it is m y opinion that this and th e subsequent miracles
m this part o f the siitra should be considered to be symbolic. (G.C.)
2. T h e phrase “ H is b ody w a s adorned w ith the thirty-tw o auspicious signs,” already
stated above, was om itted here in our translation.
 M a n ju s r T 's A t t a i n m e n t o f B u d d h a h o o d 187

3. Literally, “Lion o f D arting T h u n d e rb o lt.”

4. A lth o u g h this paragraph appears to contradict the preceding statem ents, they should
be u n derstood to be on different levels. T h e previous statements describe the very nature o f
the ultim ate tru th , w hich is b e y o n d discrim ination and observation. O n the other hand, from
the p o in t o f v iew o f D h a rm a practice, observation is necessary to further o n e ’s realization at
ccrtain stages. It is said th a t prior to full realization o n e m u s t penetratingly observe the
emptiness o f m in d to rid oneself o f subject-object dichotom y.
T h is paragraph is extrem ely obscure. T h ree versions (Taishd 310, p. 345, by Siksa-
nanda; Taisho 318 ，p. 896, by C h u Fa H u; Taisho 319, p. 912, by A m ogha) differ widely in
their renderings o f this paragraph. Alternate translation:
‘‘G o o d m an, the B u d d h a -D h a rm a is neither a d h arm a no r a nondharm a. W hy? Be­
cause the B u d d h a -D h a rm a arises from now here. If novice Bodhisattvas are horrified at
hearing this statem ent, they will attain enlightenm ent quickly; if they discriminate, thinking,
‘N o w I am going to attain enlightenm ent，’they will engender bodhicitta, aim at im m ediate
realization, and attain enlightenm ent as a result. If they do n ot engender bodhicitta, they will
never attain enlightenm ent. W ithout the above discrimination, enlightenm ent and bodhicitta
are b oth inapprehensible. W hat is inapprehensible is beyond discrimination. W hat is beyond
discrim ination has nothing to do w ith im m ediate realization. W hy? Because there is no object
o f im m ediate realization.11
5 . — 味 m eans literally ‘one taste1 or ‘o f the same taste'. In m eaning it connotes
simply ‘the sa m e ，，‘identical， ，or ‘a t-o n c -m c n t’.
6. T h at is, to beco m e a universal m o narch again in his next life, as he was in that life.
7. Literally, “is com plete w ith."
8. T h at is, the aggregates arc b y nature identical w ith B uddhahood.
9. A lthough this sentence is rather cum bersom e, w e have choscn to render it literally,
since it is philosophically im portant.
10. T h at is, those w h o are n o w ordinary sentient beings, will be T athagatas in the
future.
11. A n other possible rendering: "Furtherm ore, W o rld -H o n o red O ne, I have v o w e d to
cause m y land to have as m an y bodhi-trccs as the w orlds in ten billion-w orld universes; those
trees will shed a light all over m y B u d dha -la nd.”
12. This seems to denote H inayana Arhats w h o have entered parinirvana.
13. T his refers to Sravakas in other B uddha-lands, as there will be none in Universal
Sight Tathagata's land.
14. T hese statem ents suggest the m in d -o n ly doctrine; i.e., everything in the exterior
w o rld is a m e re projection or reflection o f o n e ’s o w n mind.
15. T his implies that the land will be so brilliantly illuminated by the Bodhisattvas ，
lights that the o p ening and closing o f flow ers will be the only indication o f day and night.
16. T his is probably the m ost im p ortant “a d o rn m e n t” o f M a n jusrfs future B uddha-
land, sh o w in g h o w p rofound is his intention to save sentient beings before attaining suprem e
enlightenm ent himself. (VSB.)
17. A n o ther version, Taisho 319, p. 915, reads: “gained nonrcgrcssion from suprem e
bodhi. ”
18. Here even the eloquence o f B odhisattva M anjusri cannot express the profound
w o n d e rs o f his future Buddha-land.
19. In this sutra, Manjusrl's land is described as incomparably superior in time, space,
188 O n EMPTiNtss

merits* c tc , to other Buddha^bnds. such as that o f Amitabha. O ne should not regard this to
be a strict comparative su tcm cn t about tw o Buddhft-lands, but instead as emphasizing the
distinction between the pure tin d o f Nirmanakaya and pure land o f Sambhogakiya. Mafi-
ju lr f s land is o f Sambbogakaya. which is eternal and infinite, and is a reflection o f
emptiness, o r the Dharmakaya. See Numerical Glossary, **three bodies o f the Buddha. _
 Ill
On the Light o f the Tathagata
 11 出現光明會

The Manifestation of Lights 1

T hus have I heard. Once the B uddha was dwelling on M o u n t G rdhrakuta near
Rajagrha, accom panied by five h undred great m onks, all o f w h o m had achieved
great freedom; eighty myriad Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas w h o w ere to reach B ud­
dhahood in their next lives, headed by Bodhisattva Maitreya; and forty myriad
other great Bodhisattvas, headed by the D harm a Prince Manjusri; and others.
At that time, M oonlight, a boy in the assembly, rose from his seat, bared his
right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, b o w e d d o w n w ith his head at the B u d d h a’s
feet, th e n join ed his palms reverently and said to the Buddha, “ W orld-H onored
O ne, w hat deeds did the Tathagata perform to obtain the Absolute Light;2 the
E m bracing Light; the Creating Light; the Manifesting Light; the M ulticolored
Light; the Single-Colored Light; the N a rro w Light; the Wide Light; the Pure
Light; the Universal Pure Light; the U ndefiled Light; the U tterly U ndefiled Light;
the Stainless Light; the Gradually Increasing Light; the Sparkling Pure Light; the
V ery Sparkling Pure Light; the Boundless Light; the Utterly Boundless Light; the
Im m easurable Light; the U tterly Im m easurable Light; the Infinite Light; the U t­
terly Infinite Light; the Swift Light; the Very Swift Light; the N onabiding Light;
the Light o f N o Abode; the Blazing Light; the Illuminating Light; the Light of
Delight; the Light o f Reaching the O th e r Shore; the U n im p ed ed Light; the Im ­
m ovable Light; the Straightforw ard Light; the Light o f A biding in the Infinite; the
Light o f C o lo r and Form ; the Light o f Various Colors and Forms; the Light of
Innum erable Colors and Forms; the Light o f Blue, Yellow, Scarlet, and White; the
R e d -C o lo red Light; the Crystalline Light; and the Light o f the C o lo r o f Void

Sutra 11，Taisho 310，pp. 163-195; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.

192 O n t h e L ig h t o f t h e T a th a g a ta

Space? Each o f these lights appears m ixed w ith a light o f five colors, and each of
the lights o f five colors— such as blue, yellow, red, white, and so forth— appears
mixed w ith innumerable kinds of lights of different colors.”
In reply, the W o rld-H onored O n e spoke to M oonlight in verse:

“By inconceivable good karmas,

I have rid m yself o f delusions
A nd have achieved various lights.
By all kinds o f [virtuous] practiccs,
I abide sccurely in the B u d d h a’s path;
By the w isdom o f em ptiness and nonaction,
I emanate intermingled lights.
Em pty, egoless, inactive,
A n d devoid o f th ought
Arc external things; and yet
T hey can manifest different forms.
E m pty, egoless, and inactive
Is the body, and yet _
It can produce various sounds;
In the same way, th ro ug h the [wisdom of] nonaction,
I can manifest innum erable colored lights :
T o satisfy the wishes o f all sentient beings.
Sometim es one light can producc tw o colors,
Each radiating three [beams]:
H igher, middle, and l o w e r . . . .
Sometim es one light can producc five colors,
Each radiating three [beams]:
Higher, middle, and lower;
This results from pure karma1.
Sometim es one light can produce six colors,
Each radiating three [beams]:
Higher, middle, and lower;
This results fro m in genuity,.. . .
Som etimes one light3 can produce fifty colors,
Each radiating three [beams]:
H igher, middle, and lower;
This results from, dhyana.
 T he M a n i f e s t a t i o n of L ig h t s 193

Som etimes one light can produce sixty colors,

Each radiating three [beams];
Higher, middle, and lower;
This results from w i s d o m . . . .
Som etimes one light can producc a thousand colors,
Each radiating three [beams]:
H igher, middle, and lower;
This results from a thousand merits.
Sometim es one light can producc ten thousand colors.
Each radiating three [beams]:
H igher, middle, an d lower;
This results from the spiritual provision o f m e r i t s . . . .
Lights o f m an y kinds
Shine from m y pores.
I will n o w tell you
T h e different names o f these lights.
I have a light callcd T he C louds4 o f Pure Illumination;
It arises from the innum erable good roots
I have accumulated.
In the past’ w hen I saw sentient beings
Afflicted with m an y kinds of disease,
I gave them medicines o u t o f pity
T o restore their health,
A nd thereby I obtained that light.
A n oth er light, callcd Pure Eye,
I obtained by offering lamps to Buddhas.
A nother light, called Pure Ear,
I obtained by offering music to Buddhas.
A n oth er light, called Pure Nose,
I obtained by offering perfumes to Buddhas.
A nother light, called Pure Tongue,
I obtained by offering delicacies to Buddhas.
A nother light, called Pure Body,
I obtained by offering clothing to Buddhas.
A nother light, called Pure M ind,
I obtained by ever believing
A nd delighting in Buddhas.
194 O n the L ig h t of the T a t h Ag a t a

A nother light, called Pure Forms,

I obtained by m aking colored paintings o f Buddhas.
A n other light, called Pure Sounds,
I obtained by constantly praising the D harm a.
A n other light, called Pure Scents,
I obtained by continuously revering the Sarhgha.
A nother light, called Pure Tastes,
I obtained by fulfilling sentient beings’ needs.
A nother light, called Pure Touch,
I obtained by offering perfum ed ointments.
A nother light, called Pure Phenom ena,
I obtained by em bracing all dharmas.
A noth er light, called Pure Earth,
I obtained by cleaning and sw eeping the ground
For the Buddha and the S a iiig h a .. . .
A nother light, called Pure Aggregates,
I obtained by offering m y bod y to Buddhas.
A nother light, called Pure Elements,
I obtained by continuously cultivating kindness.5
A nother light, called Pure Truth,
I obtained by never uttering false w o r d s . . . .
A nother light, called Revealing the M eaning o f the T ruth,
I obtained by com prehending e m p tin e s s .. . .
A nother light, called U nderstanding W om en,
I obtained by rem aining detached
From the female appearance.
A nother light, called U nderstanding M en,
I obtained by rem aining detached
From the male appearance.
A nother light, called T he A w esom e P o w er o f Vajra,
I obtained by having pure w isdom and pure karma.
A n o th er light, called U nfolding Emptiness,
I obtained by revealing karm ic results to the w o rld .6
A nother light, called A w akening to Reality,
I obtained by parting w ith w ro n g views.
 T he M a n if e s ta tio n of L ig h ts 195

A nother light, called Elucidating the B uddha's Words,

I obtained by praising the dharm adhatu.7
A nother light, called Free from Faults,
I obtained by praising superior understanding.
A nother light, called U niversal Illumination o f A dornm ents,
I obtained by praising the offering o f lamps.
A nother light, called Forsaking Affection,
I obtained by praising m editation and w isdom .
A nother light, callcd Parting w ith Habit,
I obtained by praising the know ledge o f past [states].
A nother light, called Free from A ttachm ent,
I obtained by praising the w isdom
O f the nonarising [of dharmas].
A nother light, called N o t Falling to A n y Plane o f Existence,
I obtained by praising the w isdom o f nondefilement.
A nother light, called T he State o f Renunciation,
I obtained by praising the know ledge of suffering.
A nother light, called T h e B u d d h a’s M iraculous Feats,
I obtained by praising miraculous powers.
A n oth er light, called Transcending Play-W ords,
I obtained by praising all-know ing w isdom .
A n o th er light, called Manifesting Forms,
I obtained by praising
T h e po w er to perform miracles.
A nother light, called Delight in Spiritual Friends’
I obtained by praising the nature o f e n lig h te n m e n t.. . .
A nother light, called T he U ltim ate Exhaustion o f the E ye,8
I obtained by praising nonexhaustion.
A nother light, called Being,
I obtained by praising nonbeing.
A nother light, called Indestructible,
I obtained by praising the nature o f cessation.9
A nother light, called Limitless,
I obtained b y praising the unlimited.
196 O n th e L ig h t o f th e T a th a g a ta

A nother light, called Formless,

I obtained by praising the unconditioned.
A nother light, called U nvarying,
I obtained by praising nond ifferentiatio n .. . .
I have a light called Beyond Expression;
It can bring all sentient beings to maturity.
I have a light called
T he Basic N atu re o f Dharm as;
It can shake one million [Buddha-] lands.
I have a light called Subduing D emons;
Its awe-inspiring pow er can terrorize demons.
I have a light called
T he Banner o f Blessing;
O n e w ho holds its nam e meets no dangers.
I have a light called Powerful Banner;
O n e w ho holds its name
Suffers no bitter antagonism.
I have a light callcd Tranquil Banner;
O n e w ho holds its nam e has no desire.
I have a light called
T he Banner o f Dhyana;
O n e w ho holds its nam e perform s no m isd e e d s.. . .
I have a light callcd
T he Banner o f Pure Discipline;
O n e w ho holds its nam e breaks no precepts.
I have a light callcd
T he Banner o f W onderful Fragrance;
O n e w h o holds its name
Is free from filth and stench.
I have a light called T he Profound Dharma;
O n e w h o holds its nam e harbors no doubts.
I have a light called N onabiding;
O n e w ho holds its nam e
Is not attached to any form o f existence.
I have a light called Free from Discrimination;
O n e w ho holds its nam e clings to nothing.
 T he M a n ife s t a t io n of L ig h t s 197

I have a light called M o u n t Sumeru:

O n e w h o holds its nam e cannot be swayed.
I have a light called Esoteric Practicc;
O n e w h o holds its n am e has no attachments.
I have a light called Acts o f Liberation;
O ne w h o holds its nam e is free from bonds.
I have a light called Well Subdued;
O n e w h o holds its nam e
Becomcs gentle and tender.
I have a light called Immovable;
O n e w h o holds its nam e
Is n o t defiled by desire.
I have a light callcd Well Disciplined;
O n e w h o holds its nam e
O bserves the precepts pcrfcctly.
I have a light callcd All G o od Deeds;
O n e w h o holds its nam e is defiled by nothing.
I have a light called M uch Benefit;
O ne w h o holds its n am e is free from fault.
I have a light called Superior Knowledge;
O n e w h o holds its nam e is not bewildered.
I have a light called
Seeking to Benefit [Self and Others);
O n e w h o holds its nam e harbors n o hatred.
I have a light called Joyful Mind;
O n e w h o holds its nam e
Gains pcacc and happiness.
I have a light callcd N o Burning Desire;
O n e w h o holds its nam e understands emptiness.
I have a light called E m p ty o f Self-Entity;
O ne w h o holds its nam e
Transcends all play-w ords ；
I have a light called Nonreliancc;
O n e w h o holds its nam e remains unshakable.
I have a light called Free from Perplexity;
O ne w h o holds its nam e does n o t vacillate.
198 O n the L ig h t of the T athagata

I have a light called N o Abode;

O n e w h o holds its n am e is free from ignorance.
I have a light called W eary o f the Body;
O n e w h o holds its n am e
D ocs n o t take rebirth.
I have a light called N o Grasping;
O ne w h o holds its nam e
Is n o t b o u n d by w ritten words.
I have a light called N o Ignorance;
O n e w h o holds its nam e
Is detached from spoken w ords. ‘
I have a light called G oing N ow here;
O n e w h o holds its nam e forsees the future.
I have light callcd Reaching all Limits
O n e w h o holds its nam e beholds the past30. . . .
I have a light called Free from Stain;
O n e w ho holds its nam e
Is not enveloped in darkness.
I have a light callcd N o A m orous Captivation;
One w ho holds its nam e is apart from relia n cc.. . .
I have a light callcd T he M ost H o no red One;
O n e w ho holds its nam e gains unim peded w isdom .
I have a light called Swift;
O n e w h o holds its nam e
Becomcs an accomplished m onk.
I have a light callcd Symbolic;
O n e w h o holds its nam e
C om prehends the profound D h a rm a .11
I have a light called B eyond Symbols;
O ne w ho holds its nam e abandons arrogance.12
I have a light callcd Nonarising;
O n e w h o holds its name
Attains the nonattainm ent.
I have a light called Rccollccting Buddhas,
W hich is exalted by the Tathagatas.
This light I obtained by cultivating
R ight practices in m an y Buddha-lands.
 T he M a n ifesta tio n of L ig h t s 199

T he lights em anating from the Buddhas’ bodies

Are as num erous as the dust-m otes
In countless millions o f Buddha-lands,
Lands as num erous as the sands o f the sea.
Each o f these lights,
As n u m ero u s as those dust-motes,
A nd has a retinue [of lights].
All o f them
Reach all Buddhaless lands,
W here each is transform ed
Into a pure b ody o f a Tathagata
T o expound the subtle, profound D harm a
A nd to establish sentient beings in patience.
I have a light called Buddha;
It can lead sentient beings
T o abide in the B uddha’s path.
I have a light called Dharma;
Its radiance is clean and pure,
W ithout flaws or taints.
I have a light called Sarhgha;
It is always acclaimed by Buddhas, Tathagatas.
I have a light called Purity;
It is m ost superb and rare.
I have a light callcd Blossom;
It can benefit and ripen sentient beings.
I have lights called Brahma, Sakra,
D eva, M oon, D ragon, Yaksa,
Asura, Garuda,
King, Lady, Girl, and Boy.
Each o f these various lights
C an by w holesom e dharmas
C o n v ert those beings designated by its name,
Causing infinite millions o f sentient beings
T o achieve enlightenment.
I have lights called Wisdom, Precepts,
Kindness, Joy, Com passion,
Lam p, Perfume, and Music.
Each o f these lights is nam ed for its function
A nd was achieved by receiving
On the L ig h t of the T athagata

Innum erable sentient beings

Into m y following.
I have a light callcd Esteem,
Praised by Buddhas, Tathagatas.
I achieved it as a result
O f ever revering the B uddha’s teachings.
Each pore o f the B uddha gives forth lights
As num erous as the sentient beings w ithin his sight;
A nd each o f these lights is surrounded
B y its o w n retinue [of lights).
Blessed b y these Buddha-lights,
Sentient beings are b rought to maturity,
Each in accordance w ith his inclinations.
If one rejoices and brings forth deep aspiration
U p o n hearing these lights described,
H e m u st have heard this sutra in past lives
In [other] Buddha-lands.
I have a light called Supreme,
W ith a retinue o f eighty million [lights].
This I achieved
By praising a Buddha w ith one verse.
I have a light called Free from W orry,
W ith a retinue o f eighty m yriad [lights).
This I achieved b y upholding the D harm a
E xpounded by a Tathagata.
I have a light called U tter Purity,
W ith a retinue o f eighty million [lights].
This I achieved
By cultivating one samadhi.
' ★ ★ ★
In the past appeared a B uddha nam ed Supreme,
W hose life span was immeasurable.
W hen he attained enlightenment,
T here w ere eighty m yriad people
In his first D harm a-assem bly.
A t that time, in the world,
T here was a king nam ed Joyful Voice.
、、 H e had five hundred sons,
 T he M a n if e s t a t io n of L ig h t s

All handsom e, well-formed.

A nd pleasing to the beholder.
A m an o f dignity and authority,
T he king deeply and joyfully
Believed in the Three Jewels.
H e offered to B uddha [Supreme]
All his superb, magnificent gardens. . •.
O u t o f pity for the king, his sons,
A nd the others in the assembly,
Buddha Suprem e prcached this ‘Siitra o f Absolute Lights.
U p on hearing it taught,
T he king was overw helm ed w ith joy.
H e chanted countless verses
In praise o f that Tathagata,
A nd offered to him
Eighty million wonderful, jew elled canopics.
Each canopy was ornam ented
With pearls around its n e t . . . .
T he tassels o f cach canopy were again m ade
O f eighty million pearls,
Lustrous and luminous,
Shedding lights day and night.
Each light rcachcd a h undred leagues
A nd outshone the sun and m o o n . . . .
A t that time, all sentient beings,
Even those in the Akanistha Heaven,
C am e to the T athagata’s dwelling place
T o hear this sutra.
U p o n hearing it taught,
Devas, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas,
Mahoragas, asuras, and others
Were all overwhelm ed w ith joy.
T h ey chanted hundreds o f thousands o f verses
In praise o f the Tathagata
A nd brought forth bodhicitta.
T he devas, dragons, spirits, and asuras,
W ith sincerc and pure minds,
Sh o w ered flowers o f the coral tree, pearls,
A nd various jewels from the sky
As offerings to the B u d d h a . . . .
202 O n the L ig h t of the T athagata

You, M oonlight, should know:

King Joyful Voice, w h o made
Various offerings to that Tathagata,
Was no other than you [in a previous life].
Since y o u heard this sutra in th e past,
Y ou n o w ask m e about it once again.
★ ★ ★

O n ly those w h o have pure faith in m y teachings

C an expound this sutra widely
A fter m y parinirvana, w hen the D harm a-w heel
Is about to cease its turning.
O n e w h o expounds this sutra in the future
Is the protcctor o f m y D harm a,
Just as a good leader o f a caravan
Is the guardian o f the valuables.
In the com ing Last Era,
O n e w h o hears this sutra
A nd enjoys it at once
Should k n o w he is inspired
By the B uddha’s aw esom e pow ers .
A nd the blessing o f Manjusri.
M erely hearing this sutra
Is tantam ount to m eeting m any Buddhas,
W h o bestow upon the hearer
Secret instructions, and w isdom as well.
O n e w h o is gentle and straightforward,
A lw ays makes offerings to Buddhas,
Practices the teaching o f no-sclf,
And is kind and patient
Will delight in this sutra.
O n e w ho bears malice,
Insatiably seeks selfish gains,
A n d has no aspiration for peace and tranquillity
Will not delight in this sutra.
O n e w h o makes offerings to Tathagatas,
C om prehends the profound, w onderful D h arm a ，
A nd has pure faith in the B u d d h a’s true w isdom
Will delight in this sutra.
 T he M a n ifesta tio n of L ig h t s 203

O ne w ho is distracted and im pure in mind,

Is enslaved by evil passions,
Indulges in killing,
A nd is hard to subdue
Will n o t delight in this sutra.
O n e w h o enjoys living alone in a herm itage
W ith peace o f mind,
D etached from w orldly gain and kinsfolk,
Will delight in this sutra.
O n e w h o follows bad com pany,
C o rru p ts his o w n and others’ w holesom e dharmas,
A nd loses dhyana and precepts
O r regresses from them
Will n o t delight in this sutra.
O n e w h o has very pure aspirations,
O ften observes dharm as w ith wisdom ,
A n d is guarded by spiritual friends
Will delight in this sutra.
O n e w h o is attached
T o his friends, kinsmen, or household members,
Providing fruits and flowers to please them,
A n d has a m in d n o t straight, but devious,
Will n o t delight in this sutra.
O n e w h o always recalls the B u d d h a’s bounty,
Cherishes all w onderful good roots,
A nd sincerely dedicates them
T o the attainm ent o f enlightenm ent
Will delight in this sutra.
If one is infatuated w ith a w o m an
W ho bedecks herself w ith splendid attire ，
A n d longs to play w ith her,
H e will n o t delight in this sutra.
O n e w h o is earnest,
Relies on nothing,
Is n o t defiled by any passions,
A n d never flatters for the sake o f food and drink
Will delight in this sutra.
O n e w h o teaches sentient beings
T h at carnal desire is n o t full o f faults,
204 O n th e L ig h t o f th e T a th a g a ta

A nd w h o slanders the Buddhas

O f the past, present, and future
Will not delight in this sutra.
O n e w ho holds fast to his faith and aspiration,
Seeks the D h arm a vigorously,
A nd is never w eary or negligent
Will delight in this sutra.
O ne w h o is enthralled by w om en,
A lways thinks o f sex,
A n d does not cultivate w isdom to benefit others
Will n o t delight in this sutra.
O ne w h o sits quietly in a m o untain grove
Attaining purity by cultivating w isdom ,
W ith ou t craving for food, clothes, etc.’
Will delight in this sutra.
O n e w ho is bew ildered and docs not understand
T h e past and future states o f the eye13
Is a fool entangled in d em ons’ meshes
A nd will not delight in this sutra.
O n e w ho clearly understands
T he past and future states o f the eye
Is freed from d em o n s’ meshes
And will delight in this sutra.
O n e w ho is bewildered and docs not understand
T he existcncc and noncxistence o f the eye
Is a fool entangled in dem o n s’ meshes
A nd will not delight in this sutra.
O n e w ho clearly understands
T he existence and nonexistencc o f the eye
Is freed from d em o n s’ meshes
A n d will delight in this sutra.
O n e w h o is bewildered and does not understand
T he form ation and destruction o f the eye
Is a fool entangled in dem ons’ meshes
A n d will n o t delight in this sutra.
O n e w h o clearly understands
T he form ation and destruction o f the eye
Is freed from d em o n s’ meshes
A n d will delight in this sutra.
 T he M a n if e s t a t io n of L ig h t s 205

As it is with [the eye],

So it is w ith the ear,
Nose, tongue, body, and mind;
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes,
Textures, and m ental objects;
Earth, water, fire, air, substance, and nature:
Events, sentient beings, and suffering;
A ggregates and e le m e n ts ;. . .
Desire, hatred, ignorance,
Conceit, craving, pretense, and arrogance;
Miserliness, jealousy, flattery,
Deceit, and resentm ent.
O ne w h o is bewildered and does not understand
T he ultim ate exhaustion o f the eye,
Falls to the level o f ordinary men,
A nd will n o t delight in this sutra.
O ne w h o clearly understands, w ith o u t confusion,
T h e ultim ate exhaustion o f the eye
Has risen above the actions o f ordinary men,
A n d will delight in this s u t r a . . . .
O n e w h o is bewildered and does n o t understand
T he ultimate quiesccncc o f the eye
Falls to the level o f ordinary men,
A nd will not delight in this sutra.
O ne w h o clearly understands, w ithout confusion,
T he ultim ate quiescencc o f the eye
Has risen above the actions o f ordinary men,
A nd will delight in this sutra.
O n e w ho is bew ildered and docs n o t understand
T h at the eye does not come or go
Falls to the level o f ordinary men,
A nd will n o t delight in this sutra.
O ne w h o clearly understands, w ith o u t confusion,
T h at the eye does n o t com e or go
Has risen above the actions o f ordinary men,
A nd will delight in this sutra.
O ne w h o is bewildered and does n o t understand
T he nonself o f the eye
A nd the nature of its ultim ate exhaustion
206 O n th e L ig h t o f th e T a th a g a ta

Falls to the level o f ordinary men,

A nd will not delight in this sutra.
O n e w h o clearly understands
T h e nonself o f the eye
A nd the nature o f its ultim ate exhaustion
Has risen above the actions o f ordinary men,
A nd will delight in this s u t r a . . . .
O ne w h o is bewildered and docs not understand
T h e nature o f the eye’s ultimate exhaustion
A nd the eye’s emptiness
C a n no t acquire the w isdom o f dharanis
A nd will n o t delight in this s u t r a . . . .
O n e w h o understands
T h e nature o f the eye’s ultimate exhaustion
Will achieve the wisdom o f dharanis,
A nd the peerless, unattached w isdom ,
A nd will therefore delight in this sutra.
O ne w h o does n o t delight in this siitra
A nd is bewildered
By the nature o f the eye’s ultim ate exhaustion
Will suffer regression from dhyanas
O r their loss.
It will be hard for him to realize peerless w isdom .
O n e w h o delights in this sutra
And clearly understands
T h e nature o f the eye’s ultimate exhaustion
Will achieve all dhyanas
A n d easily realize peerless w i s d o m . . . .
O n e w h o diligently ponders, day and night,
T he nature o f the eye’s ultimate exhaustion
Will achievd dharanis and cloqucnce 、
And will always be able to tcach this sutra.
One w h o meditates on this sutra
A nd achieves the w isdom o f manifesting lights
Will have the Tathagatas revealed before him
A nd realize the emptiness o f the e y e . . . .
If one makes offerings
For countless millions o f kalpas,
T o all the sentient beings seen by Buddhas,
 T he M a n ifesta tio n of L ig h t s 207

Serving them as Tathagatas,

His m erits cannot com pare w ith those o f one
W ho accepts and practices this sutra.14
If one accepts, upholds, and expounds
O n ly a four-line verse o f this sutra,
H e should be revered [by all]
As a Supreme, M ost C om passionate Lord.
For hundreds o f thousands o f kalpas,
In the three realms o f sarhsaric existence.
I m ade offerings to Buddhas
For the sake o f (hearing) this sutra.
T o m aster it, som etim es I offered
T o the Great Tcachers
Countless thousands o f lamps,
W ith w icks as long as a league;
Sometim es I offered to B uddhas，stupas
Various kinds o f f lo w e r s ,. . .
Garlands, banners, and c a n o p ie s.. . .
I fulfilled the wishes
O f those in need:
I gave them flowers, fruits, gardens, and groves;
I gave them bridges, wells, and drinking water;
I gave them sno w -w h ite elephants and unicorns;
I gave them precious steeds and beautiful maidens;
I gave them gold beds and jew eled curtains. • . .
I practiccd these kinds o f giving untiringly,
H undreds o f thousands o f times,
For the sake o f [hearing] this sutra.

ii.

“ In the past, for the sake o f [hearing] this sutra,

I kept the pure preccpts,
Cultivated m editation and wisdom,
A nd gave charity to sentient beings.
In the past, for the sake o f [hearing] this sutra,
I took pity on
Villains w h o scolded me
Instead o f harm in g them .
208 O n the L ig h t of th e T a t h Ag a t a

In the past, for the sake o f [hearing] this sutra,

I tulfillcd the wishes
O f those w h o came to ask for favors,
A nd m ade them h a p p y . . . .
昏

M oonlight, you should know:

In scarch o f this sutra,
I have, for innum erable kalpas,
Cultivated so m any austerities
T hat no one could finish counting them,
Even in a hundred thousand k a lp a s .. . .
If m onks and nuns
Feel great em otion and shed tears
U p o n hearing this sutra,
T h ey will m eet the M o st H onored One;
This I prophesy.
M oonlight, you should k n o w that
T he Buddhas, w ith their miraculuous powers,
T horo u gh ly k n o w the purity or im purity
O f a person’s mind,
A nd his faith and understanding as well. . •.
You should expound the unexcelled D harm a
W ith a firm mind,
And transm it this subtle sutra
T o the k in d h c a rtc d .. . .
This, M oonlight, you should know:
Just as a clever person
Can skillfully handle fire
T o cook various dishes
W ithout being burned by it,
While a clumsy fool
Burns his palm w ith the fire;
A nd ju st as one w h o bccom es stupefied and deranged
After taking poison
Can be cured
By burning o u t the poison w ith fire13—
So it is with the wise.
By means o f the mind,
T h e y realize that the m ind is em pty,
So th ey are able to abide in saiiisara.
By m eans o f the eye,
 T he M a n if e s t a t io n o h L ig h t s 209

T hey realize that the eye is void.

A nd do not attach them selves to it.
If one k n o w s this truth,
H e can use his eyes
W ithout afflictions.
By realizing the emptiness o f the eye.
O ne can achicvc true w isdom ,
A nd thereby can emanate [various] lights.
O ne w h o realizes the emptiness o f the eye
C an eradicate desires forever;
Free o f desire,
H e can emanate various lights.
As it is w ith desire,
So it is w ith hatred,
Ignorancc, clinging to the ego,
Pretense, distress, avarice,
Jealousy, shamelessness, intolerance,
Conceit, pride, arrogance,
Flattery, dcccit, sclf-indulgcncc,
Fraudulcncc, and so forth.
O ne w ho acquires true w isdom
Will realize the eye's ultimate quiescence,
And will then be able to emanate lights.
O ne w h o acquires true w isdom
Will abide in the essence o f the Buddha-1 Pharma,
And will then be able to em anate lights.
O ne w h o acquires true w isdom
Will abide in the B u dd h a’s ingenuity,
A nd will then be able to emanate lights.
N ever have I seen anyone
Able to em anate lights
W ho has not cultivated true w isdom
A nd [thereby] freed him self forever
From hindrances and afflictions.
O ne w h o cultivates true w isdom w ith diligence
Will free him self forever
From hindrances and afflictions;
H e w ho complies w ith this practicc
C an em anate lights.
 On the L ig h t of the T athagata

T o seek the supreme practice,

O n e should study this sutra
A nd m ake offerings to Tathagatas;
T hen one will acquire true w isdom and ingenuity. • • •
O ne w h o know s not
T he ultim ate16 nature o f the eye
C annot k n o w the ultimate [nature]
O f the arising of the eye.
H e is not one
W ho can emanate lig h ts .. . .
The same is true
With the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind;
Forms, sounds, scents, tastes,
Textures, and mental objccts;
Earth, water, fire, and air.

A t that time, young M oonlight, having heard the D h arm a explained, felt
great jo y . In the presence o f the Buddha, he praised the Tathagata in verse:

“T h e Tathagata can display his pure w isdom

Bccause he realizes the ultim ate exhaustion o f the eye.
Being able to display pure wisdom ,
H e is endow ed w ith the B u d d h a's17 pure lights.
T he Tathagata can utter pure voices
Bccause he understands that the eye has no self.
Being able to utter pure voices,
He is endow ed with the B u ddha’s perfbet voices.
T he Buddha can utter pure speech
Because he has benefited sentient beings.
W ith the ability to utter pure spccch,
H e can benefit innum erable worlds.
T he Tathagata can achicvc the w isd o m o f dharanl
Bccause he realizes that the eye
Is em p ty by nature.
Being able to achicvc the w isdom o f dharanl,
He can manifest the B u d d h a’s infinite lights.
T he Tathagata know s the variations o f different eyes
A nd their unlimited, varied names.
K n ow in g countless names,
He can em it the B uddha’s infinite lights.
 T he M a n if e s t a t io n of L ig h t s

K n ow in g the varieties o f w ords and languages,

T he B uddha realizes that the eye
Is em pty and beyond words.
Therefore, he can em it th e B u d d h a’s infinite lights.
If one ponders
T h at the eye is devoid o f self,
H e will k n o w that the B uddha speaks the truth;
O n e w h o know s that the B uddha speaks the truth
C an manifest the T athagata’s absolute lights.
H aving achieved the suprem e miraculous powers,
T he Tathagata realizes the destruction
O f infinite numbers o f eyes.
Being able to realize the destruction o f eyes,
H e can benefit all worlds.
T he Suprem ely H o no red O n e am ong hum ans and gods,
T h e O n e o f great compassion,
T h o ro u g h ly realizes the arising
O f infinite num bers o f eyes.
M ay I ，too, soon realize the eye’s arising,
As the Buddha does.
So m ay it be w ith the car,
Nose, tongue, body, and mind;
Forms, sounds, scents,
Tastes, textures, and mental o b jc c ts .. . .
T he Suprem ely H ono red O ne am ong hum ans and gods,
T h e O n e o f great compassion,
Has attained the paramita o f giving.
M ay I soon attain the paramita o fg iv in g ,
As the Buddha has.
T h e Suprem ely H onored O n e am o n g h um ans and gods,
T h e one o f great compassion,
Has attained the paramita o f pure discipline.
M ay I soon attain the paramita o f pure discipline,
As the B uddha has.
T h e Suprem ely H o no red O n e am o n g hum ans and gods,
T h e O n e o f great compassion,
Has attained the paramita o f patience.
M ay I soon attain the paramita o f patience,
As the B uddha has.
O n the L ig h t of th e T athagata

The Supremely H onored O n e am ong humans and gods,

T he one o f great compassion,
Has attained the paramita o f vigor,
M ay I soon attain the paramita o f vigor
As the B uddha has.
T h e Suprem ely H o n o red O n e am ong hum ans and gods,
T he O n e o f great compassion,
Has attained the paramita o f dhyana.
M ay I soon attain the paramita o f dhyana,
As the Buddha has.
T h e Supremely H onored O n e am o n g hum ans and gods,
T h e O n e o f great compassion,
Has attained the paramita o f wisdom.
M ay I soon attain the paramita o f wisdom ,
As the B uddha has.
T he Suprem ely H o no red O n e am ong hum ans and gods,
T he O n e o f great compassion,
Has attained the perfcct D harm a-body.
M ay I soon attain the pcrfect D harm a-body,
As the Buddha has.
T h e Supremely H onored O n e am o n g hum ans and gods,
T h e O n e o f great compassion,
Is endow ed with infinite, pure form s.18
M a y I ，too, soon acquire pure forms,
As the B uddha has.
T h e Supremely H onored O n e am o n g hum ans and gods,
T h e O n e o f great compassion,
Has achieved the pure, limitless mind.
M ay I soon acquire the same pure mind
As the B uddha h a s . . . .
T he Suprem ely H onored O n e am ong hum ans and gods,
T he O n e o f great compassion,
Can utter infinite, pure voices.
M ay I soon attain the same pure voices
As the B uddha has.
T he Suprem ely H onored O n e am ong hum ans and gods,
T he O n e o f great compassion,
Accomplishes infinite ，great, miraculous feats.
M ay I soon accomplish the same feats
As the B uddha does.
 T he M a n i f e s t a t i o n of L ig h t s

T he Supremely H onored O n e am ong hum ans and gods,

T h e O n e o f great compassion,
Dwells in the three realms o f cxistcncc
In order to convcrt sentient beings.
M ay I soon convcrt sentient beings,
As the B uddha docs.
T he Suprem ely H o n o red O n e am ong hum ans and gods.
T h e O n e o f great compassion,
Has transccndcd the countlcss deeds o f sariisara.
M ay I, too, soon transccnd those deeds,
As the B uddha h a s . . . .
H aving transccndcd desire,
T he Tcachcr benefits all worlds.
M ay I, too, achicvc the w isdom
T o benefit all worlds,
As the B uddha docs.
H av in g transccndcd hatred |and ignorancc],
T he Tcachcr benefits all worlds.
M ay I, too, achicvc the w isdom
T o benefit all worlds,
As the B uddha d o c s . . . .
W ith surpassing wisdom ,
T he Tathagata know s dearly
All karmic results o f the world.
M ay I also achicvc such w isdom
T o benefit all worlds.
W ith surpassing w isdom ,
T he Tathagata know s dearly
All the particular natures
O f all things in the world.
M ay I, too, achicvc such w isdom
T o benefit all worlds.
W ith surpassing wisdom ,
T he Tathagata know s clcarly the m odes o f practicc
Leading to various planes o f cxistcncc.
M ay I, too, achicvc such w isdom
T o benefit all worlds. . . •
With surpassing wisdom,
T he Tathagata know s clcarly
T he various dispositions o f all beings.
214 On the L ig h t of the T athagata

M ay I, too, achieve such wisdom

T o benefit all worlds.
W ith surpassing w isdom ,
T he Tathagata k n o w s dearly
T he practicc o f meditation.
M ay I, too, achievc such w isdom
T o benefit all worlds.
W ith surpassing w isdom ,
T he T athagata k n o w s dearly
T he practice o f liberation.
M ay I, too, achicve such w isdom
T o benefit all w o r l d s . . . .
T he Tathagata realizes that by nature
All dharmas arc like illusions, dreams, and mirages.
M ay I, too, achieve such w isdom
T o benefit all worlds.
T he Tathagata th o rou g h ly understands
All conventional w ords, w ritten and spoken.
M ay I, too, achicvc such w isdom
T o benefit all worlds.
With surpassing eloquence,
T he Tathagata reveals the profound, subtle D harm a.
M ay I, too, achieve such w isdom
T o benefit all worlds.
T he Tathagata's body, speech, and mind
Are well subdued;
H e acts on w isdom alone,
M ay I, too, achieve such w isdom
T o benefit all worlds.
K now in g well the three phases o f time,.
T h e Tathagata.is free
From grasping, attachment, and hindrances.
M ay I, too, achieve such w isdom
T o benefit all w o r l d s . . . .
T h e Tathagata know s the w hole w orld thoroughly,
A nd sees clearly all planes o f existence.
M ay I, too, achieve the w isdom
T o k now these realms w ith o u t doubt.
 T he M a n if e s t a t io n o f L ig h t s

Fully realizing the ultim ate exhaustion

O f [the d h arm as，
] arising,
T h e Tathagata is not perplexed at it.
M ay I ，too, achieve the w isdom
T o k n o w such truth w ith o ut doubt.
Fully realizing quiescence,
T h e Tathagata is not perplexed at it.
M ay I, too, achieve the w isdom
T o k n o w quiescence w ithout doubt.
Fully realizing the flux o f saiiisara,
T h e Tathagata is n o t perplexed at it.
M ay I, too, achieve the w isdom
T o k n o w the flux o f samsara w ith o u t doubt.
Fully k n o w in g the past and future states,
T h e Tathagata has attained self-taught wisdom.
M ay I, too, achieve the w isdom
T o k n o w the past and future states w ithout doubt.
Fully realizing transmigration,
T he Tathagata has attained self-taught w isdom .
May I，too, achicvc the w isdom
T o k n o w transm igration w ith o u t doubt.
Fully k now ing the past and future states
T he Tathagata docs not hold
T o a nihilistic or etemalistic [view[ o f the eye.
M ay I, too, achicvc the w isdom
T o k n o w the past and future states w ith o u t d o u b t . . . .
If one docs not understand
T he past and future states,
H e is doom ed to be fettered by desire.
Since the Tathagata realizes
T h e past and future states,
H e is n o t defiled by desire.
If one does n o t understand being and nonbeing,
He is doo m ed to be fettered by desire.
Since the Tathagata realizes th em both,
H e is n ot defiled by desire.
If one docs n o t understand
Ultim ate exhaustion and nonexhaustion,
216 On the L ig h t of th e T athagata

H e is doom ed to be fettered by desire.

Since the Tathagata realizes them both,
He is not defiled by de s i r e . . .

At that time, kn o w ing young M o o n lig h t’s earnest thoughts, the W orld-
H onored O n e smiled graciously and shed a golden light which illuminated in­
num erable Buddha-lands, and, after rendering benefit to them all, circled the
B uddha three times and entered the top o f his head. Thereupon, Bodhisattva
M aitrcya rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt upon his right knee,
bow ed w ith his head at the B u d d h a’s feet, then joined his palms reverently and
spoke in verse, praising the Buddha and questioning him:

“ • . . T h e Tathagata will take no further birth;

H e embraces all w orlds with great compassion.
M ay the D harm a king,
T he Supremely H onored O ne of men,
Tell us w h y he smiled.
N o w , innum erable great Bodhisattvas
A nd m an y awe-inspiring gods
Are all in the air holding wonderful canopics,
While the great earth is shaking.
In the presence o f past Tathagatas,
W h o practiccd w holesom e D harm as in the long night?
M ay the impartial, delightful
Lord o f great compassion
Tell us w h y he smiled.
W ho in the past made offerings to the Buddhas
A nd rejoiced at hearing this teaching expounded?
M ay the Teacher, the Supremely H o no red O ne o f m en
Tell us w h y he s mi l e d . . . .
T he Suprem ely H onored O n e am ong hum ans and gods,
T h e O n e o f great compassion,
Fully know s the wishes o f sentient beings.
H e has obtained the wonderful, unim peded eloqucncfe.
M ay he tell us w h y he smiled.
T he Tathagata has reachcd the o th er shore;
H e is endow ed
W ith the three insights19
A n d th e six miraculous powers,
A nd he manifests infinite, pure lights.
M ay he tell us w h y he smiled.
 T he M a n i f e s t a t i o n of L ig h t s 217

T he Buddha, for im m easurable kalpas in the past,

Served and m ade offerings
T o hundreds o f thousands o f W orld-H onored Ones.
Such deeds do n o t go unrequited.
M ay he tell us w h y he smiled.
T he Buddha, for im m easurable kalpas in the past,
A bided in subtle, w onderful samadhis;
A nd he realizes the arising
A nd ultimate exhaustion o f the eye.
M ay he tell us w h y he smiled.
T h e G reat Teacher k n o w s everything
In the past, present, and future;
His pure w isdom is unim peded and inconceivablc.
M ay he tell us w h y he sm iled.”

Thereupon, amid the assembly, the W orld-H onored O n e stroked M o o n ­

light's head with his golden-hued hand and then spoke in verse:

"Lad, listen carefully!

I n o w entrust you
With this teaching o f enlightenment,
T he Sutra o f the Manifestation o f Lights,
So that in the later depraved age,
W hen the D harm a is about to perish,
You m ay reveal and expound it to sentient beings. • . .
N um berless kalpas ago,
T here was a B uddha nam ed Diparhkara.
I, as the rsi Manavaka,
Offered flowers to him.
T hereupon, h e prophesied
T hat I w ould become a B uddha nam ed Sakyamuni
A nd w ould sit at the Dharm a-site
T o expound this sutra.
Y ou w ere th en a boy.
H earing the prophccy about m y future,
Y ou felt jo y , and became pure in mind. 丨 ’ ’
Y ou vow ed with palms joined,
‘If M anavaka becomes a Buddha,
I will assist him in preaching,
A nd will protect and uphold his D harm a
After his parinirvana.5
218 On the L ig h t of the T athagata

W hen D ipam kara Buddha explained

T h e Sutra o f the Manifestation o f Lights,
B o th M anavaka and the boy
Listened, and held it dear.
Once, in the past,
I offered blue lotus flowers to that Buddha.
Y ou w ere present on that occasion.
And vow ed to acccpt and uphold this sutra
A nd preach and circulate it widely
In the Last Era o f m y Dharm a.
O n e w ho, upon hearing this doctrinc.
Does not tccl aversion,
B ut acccpts, upholds, reads, and recites it
Is indeed a m an o f virtue.
Y ou should in later ages
U p ho ld this seldom -heard teaching
A nd clucidatc its m eaning widely
For all sentient beings. . . . ”

W hen the W orld-H onored O n e finished teaching this sutra, the boy M o o n ­
light and everyone in the assembly, including the gods, humans, asuras, gandhar­
vas, and so forth in the w orld, were all jubilant over the B u d d h a’s teaching. T hey
acccptcd it with faith and began to practicc it with veneration.

NOTES
1. A m o n g the tw e n ty -tw o sutras presented in this volume, “T h e M anifestation o f
L ights” is perhaps the m ost difficult one to com prehend. T h e central question concerns the
m ea n in g o f this so-called light. Is it sim ply a kind o f lum inous entity such as rays or beam s o f
light, or is it spiritual illum ination— the mystical light reported by m a n y meditators? T o give
an exact answ er is difficult. Noticcably, the lights treated in this sutra appear to denote all the
dynamic aspects o f B u d dha hood, i.e., Sariibhogakaya and N irm anakaya; all merits and func­
tions o f T athag atahood arc expressed in term s o f light. In fact, all the essential principles o f
M a h a y an a B u d d h ism seem to be expressed in term s o f this light.
In a b ro a d sense, w c m ay associate “ mystical light” w ith the D harm ak a y a. H ow ever,
the lights dcscribcd in this sutra arc not o f the D harm akaya, but o f the Rupakaya (‘body o f
form '), w h ic h is the fruit or dy n a m ic manifestation o f D harm akaya. T h e “mystical lig h t” can
be regarded as prelim inary to attainm ent o f D harm akaya, whereas the light o f R upakaya is
sequent to it. This, how ever, does not in any sense underrate D harm akaya, for the dynam ic
lights ot* R upakaya can only be b ro u g h t forth thro u g h the realization o f emptiness, as is
clearly stated in this siitra. (G .C.)
 T he M a n if e s t a t io n o f L ig h t s 219

2. This m a y also be translated as ‘Decisive Light', o r ‘Certain Light.'

3. T he Chinese text reads 事 ，‘e v e n t，
. It is obviously a textual error. ‘L ig h t，is m eant
here.
4. ‘C lo u d s，here does n o t refer to the clouds in the sky. It is a c o m m o n term in sutras
to describe profusion, hugeness, bountifulness, m ultitude, large quantity, gathering, accum u­
lation, and so forth.
5. Since m in d and b o d y are interrelated, psychological functions can affcct the bod y
and vice versa. A nger can producc bad physical effects; kindness (i.e., to b e sto w jo y upon
others) can producc beneficial and purifying effects on the body. Hence, by cultivating
kindness it is held that one autom atically purifies the m in d -b o d y complcx. (G.C.)
6. Realization o f emptiness and understanding o f the law o f karm a ire interdependent.
Here, b y revealing the karmic principle to the w orld, it is implied that o n e s realization o f
emptiness is enhanced.
7. T h e T athagata utters truthful w ords, w ords free o f deception, w o rds in accordance
with suchncss, because his w isd o m is no other than realization o f the dharm adhatu.
8. T h e ultim ate exhaustion o f conditioned dharm as, e.g., the eye, refers to the state o f
thorough liberation from sarhsaric attachm ent to dharmas. T his is accomplished by cultivating
the understanding and realization o f the unconditioned dharm as such as emptiness and de­
pendent generation. These unconditioned dharm as constitute not a dead void, no r an an­
nihilation o f things, b u t rather the nonclinging, lacking in self-nature, inexhaustible flow of
events in the m ultidim ensional dharm adhatu.
9. C essation o f the causc o f suffering; i.e., the state o f nirvana.
10. O n e w h o goes nowhere and rcachcs all limits transcends the limits o f the three
phases o f time; therefore, he beholds the past and foresees the future.
11. Buddhist sages were keenly aw are o f the im portance o f symbols, th rough w hich a
m ajor portion o f D h a rm a teaching is understood. This becom cs especially evident in the
doctrincs o f Tantrism .
12. O n e w h o maintains that there is so m e th in g attainable in em ptiness is arrogant,
while one w ith true realization sees n o thing attainable in emptiness and is naturally free from
arrogancc.
13. Here, as in o ther places th ro u g h o u t the text, the discussion o f the eye is only an
exam ple w hich can also be applied to the ear, nose, etc., and all conditioned dharm as, as
explained below.
14. N o m atter h o w innum erable arc the sentient beings to w h o m one m akes offerings,
the merits o f such deeds arc finite, but those w h o truly practice this sutra can realize such­
ness, and thusly acquirc infinite merits.
15. Perhaps refers to m oxibustion or cauterization.
16. Literally, “lim it.”
17. Literally, “T ath ag ata ’s，” here and below.
18. Seems to refer to the pure, perfcct Sam bhogakaya, the b ody o f form . See N u ­
m erical Glossary, ‘‘three bodies o f the B u d d h a / 1
19. T h e three insights: first, the insight o f past lives, w ith w hich one k n o w s the past
lives o f self and others; second, the insight o f birth and death (otherwise called the insight o f
the deva-eye), w ith w hich one k n o w s the conditions o f future births and deaths o f self and
others; third, the insight o f nondcfilcm cnt, w ith w hich one know s o n e ’s present suffering
and k n o w s w h e th er all his defilements are ended.
 IV
On Consciousness
 1 2 大乘顯識經
The Elucidation of Consciousness 1

T hus have I heard. Once the W orld-H onored O ne was dwelling in the bam boo
grove o f Elder Karanda, in the great city o f Rajagrha, together w ith tw elve h u n ­
dred fifty great m onks w h o were all Arhats. These m onks had ended their defile­
ments and w ere no longer subject to afflictions. T hey had acquired ease and
achieved liberation from passions and from ignorancc. T hey pcrccivcd the past, the
present, and the future w ithout hindrance. These great dragons2 had, in accordance
w ith the B u d d h a’s teaching, done w h at they had set out to do and abandoned the
great burden [of sariisara]. T hey had gained benefit for themselves. T h ey had
already freed themselves from the sufferings causcd by existence in sariisara. By
the pow er o f right w isdom , they kn ew well sentient beings' propensities. These
great Sravakas w ere led by Elder Sariputra.
Also in the assembly w ere innum erable Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas.
At that time, at the dw elling place o f the W orld-H onored O ne, m o st o f the
m onks felt tired and lethargic. T h ey looked listless and could not d eport th em ­
selves properly. Thereupon, the face o f the W orld-H onored O n e beamed like an
opened lotus flowei*. All the m onks then becamc fully awake and straightened
themselves up w ith dignity. T h ey thought, “N o w the Buddha, the W orld-
H onored One, emits bright light from his face. W hat Dharm a will he teach to
benefit [sentient beings| greatly?"
At that time, Wise Protcctor, a youth, . . . joined his palms respectfully,
bo w ed d o w n w ith his head at the B u d d h a’s feet, and said to him, “W orld-H onored
O ne, you always take pity on all sentient beings and hold them in vour cmbracc
and protection. I wish to ask a few questions. M ay the W orld-H onored O n e grant
m e perm ission.”

Sutra 39，Taisho 347 ， pp. 178-186; translated into Chinese by Divakara.

224 O n C o n s c io u s n e s s

T he B uddha said to Wise Protector, “Y o u r request is granted. Y ou m ay

present your doubts and I will answ er them w ith detailed explanations."
Wise Protector asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored One, although sentient
beings k n o w that consciousness exists, they cannot understand it thoroughly if it is
not explained clearly, ju st as no one know s that there is a treasure if it is loeked up
in a box. W o rld-H onored O ne, w h at form does the consciousncss assume? W h y is
it callcd consciousncss? W hen sentient beings arc dying, they frantically je rk their
hands and feet, their eyes change color, they are constrictcd and cannot m ove
freely, their sense-organs function no m ore, and their [four] elements disintegrate.
After the consciousness leaves the body, w here docs it go? W hat is its sclf-naturc?
W hat form docs it take on? H o w docs it leave the old body to rcccivc a new body?
H o w can it leave one bod y here, and, taking all the scnsc-ficlds3 w ith it, be born
again and again in various o th er bodies to undergo karmic results? W orld-H onored
One, h o w can sentient beings producc sense organs again after their bodies dccay
and disintegrate? H o w can one be rewarded in future lives for meritorious deeds per­
form ed in this life? H ow can a future body enjoy the rewards of m eritorious
actions perform ed by the present body? H o w can the consciousncss be nourished
and g row in the body? H o w can the consciousness changc and m odify itself in
accordancc w ith the body?”4
T he 13uddha answered, “M arvelous, marvelous! Wise Protector, your ques­
tions arc cxccllcnt. Listen attentively and think well about this. I will explain it to
y o u .”
Wise Protcctor said to the Buddha, “Yes, W orld-H onored O ne, I will acccpt
your teaching w ith rcspcct.”
T he 13uddha told Wise Protcctor, “T he consciousness moves and turns,
transm igrates3 and expires, and com cs and goes like the wind. W ind has no color or
shape and is invisible, yet it can [generate and] stir up things and causc them to
take on different shapes. It m ay shake trees so violently that they break or split
w ith a loud crack. It m ay touch sentient beings’ bodies w ith cold or heat and make
them feel pain or pleasure.
“T h e w ind has no hands, no feet, no face, no eyes, and no shape; it is not
black, white, yellow, or red. Wise Protcctor, the same is true o f consciousncss.
Consciousncss is w ith o u t color, shape, or light,6 and cannot be manifested. It
show s its various functions only w hen [proper] causcs and conditions arc m et. The
same is true o f the elements o f feeling, awareness, and dharm as.7 These elements,
too, are devoid o f color and shape and depend on [proper] causes and conditions to
display their functions.
“Wise Protcctor, w hen a sentient being dies, the elements o f feeling, aw are­
ness, and dharmas, together with consciousness, all leave the [old] body. T aking
the elements o f feeling, awareness, and dharm as w ith it, the consciousness is born
dgain in a n ew body.
“As an illustration, w hen the w ind passes o ver exquisite flowers, the flowers
 T he E l u c id a t io n o f C o n sc io u sn ess 225

rem ain w here they arc, while their fragrance spreads far and wide. The substancc
o f the w ind docs not take in a fragrancc o f the exquisite flowers. T he substanccs of
the fragrance, the wind, and the organ o f touch8 have neither shape n o r color, but
the fragrancc cannot spread far aw ay w ith o u t the pow er o f the wind. Wise P ro ­
tector, in the same way, after a sentient being dies, his consciousncss will take
birth again together w ith the elements o f feeling, awareness, and dharmas. A c­
companied by the elements o f feeling, awareness, and dharmas. the consciousness
is rcincarnatcd through [the union of] its parents, w h o arc the conditions o f its
rebirth.
“By virtue o f [sweet] flowers, the nose smells fragrancc; by virtue o f the sense
o f smell, the fragrancc is cxpcricnced; by virtue o f a wind, wc sec and tccl the
effect o f the wind, w hose po w er spreads the fragrance far and wide. Similarly,
from the consciousncss comcs feeling; from feeling comes awareness: from aware­
ness com e dharmas; and as a result, one can tell good from evil. . .
“Wise Protector, w hen a sentient being dies at the exhaustion of his karm ic
results [for that life], his consciousness is still bound by karm ic hindrances. | A t the
m o m en t o f death,] the consciousness leaves the bod y and its elem ents to take birth
in another body, ju st as the consciousncss o f an A rhat w h o has entered the dhyana
o f ultim ate quiescence disappears from his body. H ow ever, by the po w er o f m e m ­
ory, the consciousness know s both the identity o f the deceased and all he has
done in life, which occur clearly to the dying person and press him mentally
and physically.
“Wise Protcctor, w h at is the m eaning o f consciousncss? Consciousncss is the
seed w hich can bring forth the sprout o f various bodily forms as a result o f karma.
Perception, awareness, conception, and m e m o ry are all comprised in the conscious­
ncss, so that it can tell jo y from pain, good from evil, and w holesom e states from
unw holesom e ones. For this reason, it is called consciousness.
“ You ask ho w the consciousncss leaves the bod y and [takes birth] again to
undergo other karm ic results. Wise Protcctor, the consciousness moves into a
body as a face appears in a mirror, or as the letters o f a seal reveal themselves in the
m ud. When the sun rises, darkness disappears w herever the sunlight reaches.
W hen the sun sets and there is no light, darkness reappears. Darkness has no form
or substarcc, and is neither perm anent n o r impermanent; it is now here to be
found. T he same is true o f consciousncss: it is devoid o f form and substancc, yet it
manifests itself by feelings and conceptions. T he consciousness in the body is ju st
like the substance o f darkness; it cannot be seen or grasped.
“ A m o th e r cannot k n o w w hether the baby she has conccived is a boy or a
girl; black-, white-, or yellow-skinned; with complete or incomplete organs; w ith
w ell-form ed o r deform ed organs; or w h eth er its hands, feet, ears, and eyes resem­
ble hers. W hen the m o th er eats or drinks something hot, however, her baby
m oves [in her w o m b | and she feels pain. Similarly, sentient beings com e and go,
bend and stretch, look and wink, talk and laugh, carry heavy burdens, and do
226 O n C o n s c io u s n e s s

other things. T h ro u g h these activities the consciousness manifests itself, b u t no one

can tell exactly w here it is except that it is in the body, and no one know s w h at it
looks like.
“Wise Protector, the consciousness, in its self-nature,10 pervades everywhere
[in the body] but is n ot tainted by any part. A lthough it dwells in the six sense-
organs, the six sense-objects, and the five aggregates w hich are defiled, it is not
stained by any o f them; it only functions through them.
“Wise Protector, a w o oden puppet strung up som ew here can give a variety
o f performances, such as walking, prancing, jum p in g , throwing, playing, and
dancing. W hat do you think? B y w hose pow er can the w ooden puppet do so?”
Wise Protector said to th e Buddha, “I am n o t intelligent enough to k n o w the
a n s w e r /5
The B uddha told Wise Protector, “Y ou should know that it is by the pow er
o f the puppeteer. The puppeteer is out o f sight; only the operation o f his intelli­
gence can be seen. Similarly, the body does everything by the po w er o f conscious­
ness. Rsis, gandharvas, dragons, gods, hum ans, asuras, and other beings in the
various planes o f existence all depend on the po w er o f consciousness to act. T he
body is exactly like the w ooden puppet. Consciousness is devoid o f form and
substance, but it upholds all in the dharm adhatu;11 it is fully endow ed w ith the
p ow er o f w isdom and can even k n o w events o f past lives.12
“ Sunlight impartially illuminates evildoers and such filthy things as stinking
corpses w ithout being tainted by their foulness. Similarly, consciousness m ay reside
in a pig, a dog, o r a being o f another miserable plane w h o eats dirty food, but
is stained by none o f them.
“Wise Protector, after leaving the body, the consciousness [takes birth again]
w ith its good and evil karm as to undergo other karmic results. T h e w in d becomes
fragrant if it enters a grove o f fragrant campaka flow ers13 after com ing out o f a deep
valley. H ow ever, if the w ind passes through a stinking, dirty place w here there are
excrem ent and corpses, it catches an offensive smell. If the w ind passes through a
place w hich is perm eated with both a fragrant o d o r and an offensive one, it carries
g ood and bad odors at the same time, but the stronger o f the tw o predominates.
T he w ind is devoid o f form o r substance. Fragrance and stench, too, have no
shape- how ever, the w ind can carry both fragrance and stench far away. T he
consciousness takes good and evil karmas w ith it from one bod y to another to
undergo different karmic results.
“Ju st as a person w h o is dream ing sees m any images and events w ithout
kn o w ing that he is lying asleep, so, w h en a blessed, virtuous person is dying and
his consciousness departs, he is peaceful and unaw are [of his death]; he passes aw ay
fearlessly as if he were dreaming.
“T h e consciousness docs not leave from the throat or any other orifice.14 N o
one know s w here it departs or h o w it goes o u t.”
T he Elder Wise Protector bow ed d o w n w ith his head at the B u d d h a’s feet
and asked him , “W orld-H onored O ne, the egg-shell o f hen, a goose, or the like is
 T he E lu c id a tio n of C o n sc io u sn e ss 227

airtight all around w h en the egg has not hatchcd. H o w can the consciousncss get
into it? If the em bryo dies in the egg and the egg-shell docs not break, h o w can the
consciousncss get out o f the egg-shell, w hich has no opening at all?”
T h e B uddha answered, “Wise Protector, after being perfumed by campaka
flowers, castor'3 beans yield a fragrant oil callcd campaka oil. which smells m uch
better than ordinary castor oil. B y itself, castor oil is not fragrant; it becomes
fragrant only bccausc the beans have been perfumed by campaka flowers. T he
fragrance does n o t get into or out o f the beans by breaking them. T h o ug h it is in
the oil, the fragrancc has no form or substance. It is the pow er o f causes and
conditions that m oves the fragrancc into the oil to m ake it aromatic. In the same
way, the consciousncss o f a chickcn or gosling enters and leaves the egg.
“T h e consciousncss tranmigratcs [into a new body| ju st as the sun sheds
light, as a pearl shines, or as w o o d produces fire. [l'ransm igration| is also like the
sow ing o f a seed. A fter a seed undergoes transform ation in the soil, sprouts, stems,
and leaves emerge. T h en com c flowers o f various colors, such as w hite or red,
manifesting a variety o f pow ers and sccnts at maturity.
“This same great earth provides nutrients com posed o f all the four elements
to nourish plants, but different seeds will producc different crops. In the same
way, from the same consciousness that upholds the entire dharm adhatu com e all
the sariisaric beings w ith bodies o f different colors, such as white, black, yellow,
and red; and w ith different dispositions, such as gentleness and irascibility.16
“H ow ever, Wise Protector, consciousness has no hands, no feet, no m e m ­
bers, and no language.
“T h e p o w er o f m e m o ry is v ery strong in the d h arm ad h atu ,17 so w h en the
consciousncss leaves a sentient being’s body at his death, it combines w ith the
p o w e r of m em o ry to becom e the seed of his next life. A part from consciousness,
there is no dharm adhatu, and vicc versa.
“T h e consciousness is reincarnated together w ith the praiia-elcmcnt,18 and the
elements o f subtle m em ory, feeling, and dharm as."
Wise Protector asked the Buddha, “ I f s o ，w h y does the W orld-H onored O ne
say that consciousness is formless?"
T he B uddha answered, “Wise Protcctor, form is o f tw o kinds: one is in­
ternal; the other, external. Visual consciousness is internal, while the eye is ex­
ternal. Similarly, auditory consciousness is internal, while the ear is external;
olfactory consciousness is internal, w hile the nose is external; gustatory conscious­
ness is internal, while the tongue is external; tactile consciousness is internal, while
the bod y is external.
"Wise Protcctor, suppose a m an b o m blind sees a beautiful w o m an in a
d ream .19 Her hands, feet, and features are all extremely pretty, so in the dream the
blind m an bccomcs greatly delighted with her. W hen he wakes up, there is nothing
to be seen. In the daytime, am ong the crowd, the blind m an speaks o f the pleasant
event in his dream, saying, ‘I saw a gorgeous w o m an in a magnificent garden,
together w ith hundreds o f thousands o f people, all well-adorned and m aking merry.
 O n C o n s c io u s n e s s

Her skin was lustrous, her shoulders plum p, and her arms long and round like the
trunk o f an elephant. [Seeing these] in the dream, I was filled w ith jo y , comfort,
and adm iration .，
“Wise Protcctor, this man, blind from birth, has never seen anything in his
life. H o w can he see those forms in the dream ?”
Wise Protector said to the Buddha, “M ay you explain this to me!”
T he B uddha told Wise Protector, “T h e forms seen in the dream are the in­
ternal objects o f the eye. It is through the discrimination o f intellect, not the physical
eye, that the internal objects o f the eye are seen. Bccausc o f the p o w er o f m em ory,
the internal objects o f the eye appear for a m o m e n t in the dream o f the blind man.
Also becausc o f the po w er o f m em ory , the blind m an rem em bers th em w h en he
wakes up. T hus do the internal forms relate to the consciousness.
“Furtherm ore, Wise Protector, w h en a bod y dies, the consciousncss leaves
the bod y to be reincarnated. As an illustration, consider a seed: after being sow n in
the soil and supported by the four elements, it will gradually g ro w into sprouts,
stems, branches, and leaves. In like manner, the consciousness leaves the dead
body to be reincarnated under the control o f four things— m em ory, feeling, w hole­
some dharmas, and unw holesom e d h arm as.”
Wise Protector asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, h o w d o w hole­
some and unw holesom e dharmas control the consciousncss?”
T he B uddha answ ered, “Wise Protector, as an illustration, a piece o f pre­
cious crystal looks w hite or black according to w hether it is put in a w hite or black
placc. Similarly, w hen the consciousness leaves the dead b od y to be reincarnated
and undergo different karm ic results, it will become virtuous or nonvirtuous ac­
cording to w hether it is controlled by w holesom e or unw holesom e d h arm as.”
Wise Protector further asked the Buddha, “In w h at w ay is the bod y con­
nected w ith the consciousness?”
T he B uddha answered, “Wise Protector, consciousness does n o t accumulatc
or grow . As an illustration, there will be no sprout if the seed docs n o t g ro w or if
it rots. It is w h en the seed changes and undergoes transform ation that the sprout
emerges. Wise Protector, w h at do you think? W here does the sprout abide? In the
seed, branch, stem, leaf, or the top o f the tree?”
Wise Protcctor answ ered the Buddha, uW orld-H onored One, the sprout
docs n o t abide in any part o f the tree.”
[The B uddha said,] “ Similarly, Wise Protector, the consciousness does not
abide in any part o f the body. It abides neither in the eye, n o r in the car, nose,
tongue, n or body. T h e tim e w h en the consciousness gains slight awareness m ay be
co m p ared to the tim e w hen the seed sprouts; the tim e w h e n the consciousness
acquires feeling m ay be com pared to the time w h en buds appear; and the time
during w hich the consciousness has a body m ay be com pared to the tim e during
w hich the flow er blossoms and the tree bears fruit.
“From consciousncss the b ody arises, and consciousncss covers all the bod y
and its limbs. W h en w e look for consciousness in the body, w c cannot find it
anywhere; yet w ith ou t consciousness, th e b o d y cannot live.
 T he E lu c id a tio n of C o n sc io u sn e ss 229

“T he tree bears the seeds o f future trees w hen its fruits are ripe, not w hen
they are unripe. In the same way, w hen the body dies as the karm ic results [of one
life] are settled, the consciousncss-seed appears. Because there is consciousness,
there are sensations. Because there are sensations, there is craving. Becausc o f the
bondage o f craving, m em o ry occurs and is absorbed by the consciousncss. T h ro ug h
the union o f the parents, and in accordance with its good and evil karmas, the
consciousness takes birth again together w ith the elements o f prana, perceptions,
and m em ory.
“A m irro r can reflect a person’s face, but if the m irro r is not d e a n and
bright, the face will n o t be reflected. O n ly w h e n the m irror is bright can the image
o f the facc appear. A perso n ’s image in the m irror has no feeling or m em o ry , b u t it
bends, stretchcs, looks up and dow n, speaks, comcs, goes, advances, stops, and
perform s other acts ju st as the person does. Wise Protector, by w hose po w er does
the image appear?”
Wise Protector answered the Buddha, “It is by the p o w e r o f that person:
Because there is the face, there is the image o f that face. T he image and the face are
the same in color, and the image is exactly like the face, w ith or w ith o u t complete
organs. ”
T h e B uddha said, “T h e facc is the causc o f the image, and the m irro r is the
condition o f it. T hrough the combination o f the cause and condition, the im age is
produced. Due to the consciousness [serving as the cause o f the body], there are
feelings, conceptions, impulses, and other mental functions. T he parents are the
condition [of the body]. T h ro u g h the com bination o f the cause and condition, the
body is produced.
“T h e im age in the m irror will disappear w hen the bod y m oves away, yet the
b o d y ’s im age may be reflected in w ater or in other places. In the same way, after
leaving the body, the consciousness takes birth again together with good and evil
karmas to undergo other karmic results.
“Furtherm ore, as an illustration, consider the seeds o f banyan and u d u m -
bara. T h o u g h small, these seeds can engender huge trees, w hich will in turn
producc seeds. T he new seeds will leave the old trees to produce new trees. In
time, the old trees will becom c weak, sapless, withered, and rotten. Similarly,
after leaving its small body, the consciousness o f a small sentient being m ay take
on a big b o d y o f som e kind, according to its karmas.
“M oreover, consider barley, wheat, castor-oil plants, soybeans, green len­
tils, and so forth: their sprouts, stems, flowers, and fruits g row and ripen bccause
o f their seeds. Similarly, bccause they have a consciousness, sentient beings w ho
are subjcct to transm igration have awareness. Because they have awareness, they
have feelings, and as a result, the consciousness takes on different bodies together
w ith good and evil karmas.
“As a further exam ple, a bee rests on a flower and becomes attached to it.
T h e bee sucks the nectar o f the flower to nourish itself, and then leaves the flower
to rest on another one. It m ay fly from a fragrant flower to a stinking one, or from
a stinking one to a fragrant one, and it becom es attached to w hatever flower
23(1 O n C o n sc io u sn ess

:r rests upon. Similarly, bccause o f meritorious karmas, the consciousness m ay

acquire the body o f a god to enjoy superior bliss. T h en the consciousness m ay lose
the body o f a god and, because o f [previous] evil karmas, be reb o rn as a hcll-
dwcller to undergo m an y sufferings. The consciousness is thus born again and
again in various bodies.
“T he consciousness is like the seed o f a tulip, of a red or blue [lotus] flower,
or o f a giant w h ite lotus flower. T he seeds o f these flowers are all w hite. If you
break them , you will find no sprout, no flower, and no colors [other than white].
Y et w hen sow n in the soil an d moistened with water, the seeds will sprout and, in
due time, produce abundant flowers and fruits, w hich arc red, white, or other
colors. T he colors, sprouts, and so forth are not w ithin the seed, b u t they cannot
be produced if there is no seed. [Similarly,] after the consciouness leaves the body,
no features, sense-organs, or scnsc-fields o f the bod y are to be found w ithin the
consciousness. By w onderful vision, w onderful hearing, sound, texture, taste,
dharmas, m em ory, and the sense-fields, the consciousncss know s the good and
evil karm as it has done and will acquire a [new] body according to those karmas
w hen proper causes and conditions combinc.
“Just as a silkw orm makes a cocoon in w hich to w rap itself and then leaves
the cocoon behind, so consciousncss produces a b ody to envelop itself and then
leaves that body to undergo other karm ic results [in a new body].
“Becausc there is a seed, there are the color, fragrance, and flavor [of a
plant|. j Similarly，]after the consciousness leaves the body, the sense-organs, sense-
objccts, feeling, and the elem ent o f dharmas go w herever the consciousness goes.20
“W here there is a wish-fulfilling pearl, there are comforts; where there is the
sun, there is light. T he same is true with the consciousness: feeling, awareness,
conception, the elem ent o f dharmas, and so forth go w herever the consciousncss
goes.
“W hen the consciousness leaves the body, it carries all the b o d y ’s attributes
w ith it. It assumes an 丨ethereal] form as its body;21 it has no b ody o f flesh and
bones. Because it has the senses, it has feelings and subtle m em o ry and can tell
good from evil.
“T h e fruits o f date, pomegranate, mango, bimba, Persian date,22 kapittha,
and so on are pungent, bitter, sour, sweet, salty, or astringent. T hey differ not
only in taste, but also in their capacity to quench thirst. After the fruits [ripen and]
decay, their flavors go w ith the seeds no m atter w h ere the seeds are sown. In the
same way, feeling, m em ory, and good and evil [karmas] go w herever the con-
sciousness-seed goes. It is called consciousness because it know s that it has left one
body to receive another one, knows the good and evil karmas [it has performed],
know s that it is accompanied by the karmas, and know s that it will be reincarnated
together w ith the karmas to undergo due karmic results. It is called consciousness
because it know s all that the bod y has done.
“T h e elem ent air has no form to be grasped and no substance to be held.
H ow ever, w hen proper causes and conditions combinc, it can manifest its exis­
 T he E lu c id a tio n of C o n sc io u sn e ss 231

tence in m an y ways; it can carry cold and heat, waft fragrance and stench, sw ay
trees, and blo w violently to destroy things. In the same way, consciousness has no
form or substance, and cannot be seen or heard. H ow ever, w h en proper causcs and
conditions combinc, all its attributes appear. M aintained by consciousness, the
bod y feels pain and pleasure, looks healthy, goes and comcs. advances and stops,
speaks and laughs, experiences jo y and sorrow , and performs clearly visible ac­
tions. [Seeing these,] one know s there is a consciousncss.'' . . .
T he B uddha said to Elder True M oon, “ • . . True M oon, in the bod y born
o f parents, solid m atter is o f the clem ent earth, fluid is o f the element water,
w arm th is o f the elem ent fire, and m otion is o f the element air: that w hich
is aware o f and rem em bers sounds, odors, tastes, textures, and so forth is the
consciousness. ’’
T ru e M o o n asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, w hen a sentient being
is on the point o f death, h o w can the consciousncss leave the body? How can it
m o v e into another body? H o w can it be aware o f its o w n leaving the bodv?”
T h e B uddha replied to T rue M oon, “W hen a sentient being is rew arded with
a bod y according to his karmas, the consciousncss will maintain that body w ithout
interruption, like a stream. W hen the sentient being’s life comes to an end and his
body dies, the consciousness will leave his body to take birth again together with
his karmas.
4tAb an illustration, consider a m ixture o f w ate r and milk: w h e n it is boiled
over a fire, milk, water, and cream will all separate. Similarly, T rue M oon, w hen
the life o f a sentient being comcs to an end, his body, consciousncss, sense-organs,
and sense-objects will all disperse bccause the pow er o f karm a is exhausted. The
consciousness will then becomc the only rcliance [of the ethereal m in d -b od y co m ­
plex]23 and will contact various objccts, m ake up |all sorts of] notions about them,
and be reincarnated, together with the good and evil karmas, to undergo other
karmic results.
“T ru e M oon, as an illustration, consider the ‘great auspicious b u tte r.’24 It is
prepared by boiling a com bination o f various good mcdicines together w ith the
butter. T he attributes o f ordinary butter all vanish; instead, the butter becomcs
saturated w ith the powers o f the good medicincs and their six flavors: acrid, bitter,
sour, salty, astringent, and sweet. It nourishes the bod y and gives it a sanguine
look and a pleasant odor. Similarly, after leaving the |dcad| body, the conscious­
ness will take birth again to undergo o ther karm ic results, together w ith the
elem ent of dharm as and good and evil karmas.
“T ru e M o o n , th e csscncc o f such butter is like the body. Butter combines
w ith the mcdicines to become the great auspicious butter, ju st as the sense-organs
com binc with dharm a-objects to produce karmas. Karmas nourish the conscious­
ness in the same w ay as the mcdicines flavor butter to m ake it the great auspicious
butter. W hen nourished w ith this butter, one beams and bccomes full o f energy,
peaceful, and free from all diseases; similarly, w h en nourished by good karmas, the
consciousncss acquires blissful rewards. W hen fed w ith im proper butter, one turns
232 O n C o n s c io u s n e s s

p a k instead o f acquiring a rosy complexion; similarly, w h en nourished by evil

karmas. the consciousncss suffers painful retributions.
.、丁rue M oon, th ough having no hand, foot, or eye, the prccious great aus­
picious butter can absorb the colors, fragrances, flavors, and powers of good
medicines. In a similar manner, after leaving the body and sense-organ com plex,23
the consciousness can take up, the element o f dharmas, feeling, and good karmas to
assume the intermediate existence between death and reincarnation and acquire the
w onderful m em ory o f a g od.26 It will see the six heavens o f the Realm o f Desire and
the sixteen hells. It will see itself as having a body w ith shapely limbs and beautiful
sense-organs. W hen it sees the dead body it has left, it will say, ‘This was the body
o f m y previous life.1
“It will also sec a cclcstial palacc, which is high, im posing and full o f decora­
tions. T here are flowers, fruits, plants, and trees entangled w ith vines w hich have
tendrils as shiny as new gold chains inlaid w ith various gems. T he sight will fill
|the consciousness] w ith exultation. Being very fond o f the palacc, it will take
birth there.
“For a person w ith good karmas, to give up one body and rcceive another is
com fortable and painless, ]ust like a rider’s dism ounting from one horse and
m o u n tin g another. As an illustration, w h en a brave m an skilled in fighting sees
enem y troops coming, he will put on strong arm or and ride on a brave horse to
meet them fearlessly. Similarly, w h en a person endow ed with good roots breathes
his last, his consciousness will |happily| leave the |old| body and sense-organ
com plcx27 and take birth again in the Brahma Heaven, or even in the A kanistha
Heaven, to enjoy w onderful pleasures.”
A t that time, Prince Great Medicine rose from his seat in the assembly,
joined his palms, and asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored One, w h at form does
the consciousncss take after leaving the |dead| body?”
T he B uddha answ ered, “Marvelous, marvelous! G reat Medicine, w hat you
n o w ask conccrns the great, profound state o f the Buddha. N o one except the
Tathagata can understand it.”
At this, Wise Protcctor said to the Buddha, “The question raised by Princc
Great Medicine is indeed profound. It shows his subtle w isdom and quick m in d .”

Seeing that Buddha was benign and that his facc was beam ing with jo y like
an autu m n lotus flower in full bloom , Princc Great Mcdicinc bccam c jubilant. He
joined his palms and said w holeheartedly to the Buddha, uW orld-H onored O ne, I
love the profound Dharm a; I thirst after the profound Dharm a. I am in constant
fear o f the T athagata^ entering parinirvana, bccausc I will have no chancc to hear
him explain the true D harm a. I will th en be left am ong the sentient beings o f the
five depravities, w h o ceaselessly rem ain in sarhsara to undergo sufferings because
they arc confuscd and too ignorant to k n o w good from evil, w holesom e from
unw holesom e, or pcrfcct from im perfcct.” . . .
 T he E l u c id a t io n of C o n sc io u sn ess 233

Prince Great M cdicine than asked the B uddha |again], “W orld-H onored
O ne, w h at is the form o f the consciousness? Please explain it for m e .”
T he B uddha told Prince Great Medicine, “It is like one’s im age in water.
Such an image is ungraspablc. It is neither existent nor nonexistent; and it changes
shape w ith the water. • . .
“T he ‘shape’ o f good and evil karmas and the form of the consciousness are
invisible. Just as a person born blind cannot see sunrise or sunset, day or night,
brightness or darkness, so w e cannot see the consciousncss. There arc thirsty
desires, feelings, and thoughts w ithin oneself, but these arc also invisible. H o w ­
ever, all the |four| elements, the |twelve] entrances, and the |tivcj aggregates
w hich constitute one's self28 arc manifestations o f the consciousncss. Both the
rupas,29 such as the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, form, sound, odor, taste, and
texture, and the non-rupas, such as the experiences o f pain and pleasure, arc
[manifestations of] the consciousncss.
“Great Medicine, w hen a person tastes food w ith his tongue, he know s the
food to be sweet, bitter, acrid, sour, salty, or astringent. T he tongue and the food
are visible and tangible, while the taste is not. Furtherm ore, bccausc o f bones,
m arrow , flesh, and blood, a person can be aw are o f sensations. Bones and so forth
are tangible, but sensations are not. T he same is true with k n o w ing w hether a
consciousness is nourished by blessings30 or n o t.”
Then, bow in g with his head at the B u ddha’s feet, Wise Protector asked the
Buddha, “Is it possible to k n o w w hether or not a consciousncss has blessings?”
T h e B uddha answered, “Listen attentively! N o one can see the consciousncss
unless he has seen the truth. Unlike a m ango in the hand, the consciousness is
invisible. It is not w ithin the eye or other sense-organs. If the consciousness were
w ithin the eye or other sense-organs, it could be seen if the eye or other sense-
organs w ere disscctcd. Wise Protector, /, like all other Buddhas, as numerous as the
sands o f the Ganges, see that the consciousness has no form. T he consciousness cannot be
seen by ordinary people; it can be described only through parables. . . .3I
“ Suppose a god, a ghost, a spirit . . . or other being possesses a person.
W hat do you think? C an wc find its entity inside the person’s body?”
Wise Protcctor said to the Buddha, “Certainly not, W orld-H onored One.
W hen a god, a ghost, or a spirit possesses a person, w e cannot see its entity even if
wc scarch for it inside and outside the person’s body, because it is formless and
shapeless. ”
“Wise P rotcctor,” said the Buddha, “if a person is possessed by a great god
with superior merits, then fragrant flowers, superior inccnsc, dclicious food and
drink, and clean quarters m ust be offered to him, and the offerings m ust all be
magnificent and unsullied. In the sam e way, a consciousness nourished by bless­
ings will be rew arded w ith nobility and com fort. It will be reborn as a king, a
minister, a noblem an, a very rich m an, a chieftain, or a great m erchant. It m ay
acquire the bod y o f a god to enjoy w onderful celestial bliss. A person w hose
234 O n C o n s c io u s n e s s

consciousness is nourished by blessings acquires blissful rewards, ju st as a person

possessed by a god w ith superior m erits should be given cxccllcnt flowers and
incense, as well as dclicious food and drink, w hich will make him happy and cure
him o f his illness w hen he is sick.32 Therefore, one should k n o w that those o f high
standing or great wealth acquire such blissful rewards solely because their con­
sciousnesses are nourished by blessings.
“Wise Protector, w h en a person is possessed by a lowly, evil ghost or spirit
. . . he will be fond o f excrement, putrid things, mucus, saliva, and so on; if offered
such filthy things for relief, he will be happy and cured o f his illness. O w in g to the
pow er o f the ghost or spirit, the person delights in such impure, stinking things as
excrement, ju st as the ghost or spirit delights in them. Similarly, a consciousness
pervaded by sin will be born o f poor parents, or in miserable planes o f existcncc,
such as the plane o f h u n g ry ghosts or the plane o f animals w hich eat dirty food. If
o n e’s consciousness is pervaded by sin, he will undergo painful karm ic results.
“Wise Protcctor, the po w er3、o f a superior god w ho possesses a person has
no substance and no shape, but it can (m ake the possessed person] obtain fragrant,
pure offerings. In the same way, a consciousness nourished by blessings is shape­
less, but it can [make the person it resides in] acquire wonderful, blissful rewards.
Inferior, evil ghosts . . . causc the people th ey possess to take im pure, bad food.
Similarly, a consciousness pervaded by sin will |cause th e person it resides in to]
undergo painful retributions.
“Wise Protector, this you should know: the consciousncss is devoid o f form
or substance . . . yet, according to w hether it is nourished b y sirij or blessings, it
will | make the person it resides in] receivc painful or joy o u s results.” . . .
Great Medicine asked the Buddha, “H o w does the consciousness take on the
form o f a god or a hell-dweller?”
T he.B uddha replied to Great Medicine, “T he consciousncss has subtle vision
regarding the element o f dharmas. This subtle vision does not depend on the
physical eye in order to see. W hen this subtle vision encounters a blissful realm and
sees pleasures and m erry-m aking in cclestial palaces, the consciousness becomes
delighted and attached to them , thinking, ‘I shall go there.’ This th ought o f defiled
attachm ent is the causc o f existence [in sariisara]. Seeing the dead b ody forsaken in
a cemetary, the consciousness thinks, ‘This corpsc is m y good friend. Because it
has hoarded good karmas, I am n o w rew arded w ith rebirth in heaven.’’’
G reat M cdicine asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, since the con­
sciousness still has an attraction to the corpsc, w h y does it n o t return to the
corpsc?”
T h e B uddha asked in turn, “G reat M edicinc, can hair and beard, though
black, lustrous, and fragrant, be inserted into the bod y to g ro w there again after
being cut and discarded?”
Great M edicine answered the Buddha, “ N o, W orld-H onored One. T he hair
and beard w hich have been cut and discarded cannot be inserted into the bod y to
grow there again.”
 T he E l u c id a t io n of C o n sc io u sn ess 235

T he B uddha said, “ Similarly, G reat Medicinc, the consciousness cann o t re­

turn to the castoff corpse to undergo karmic results.”
Great Mcdicine asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, consciousness is
indeed subtle and abstruse. It has no substancc to be grasped and no form to be
recognized. H o w can it maintain the bod y o f a big sentient being like an elephant?
H o w can it get into a strong b ody as hard as a diamond? H o w can it maintain the
body o f a strong m an w h o even can tame nine elephants?”
T he B uddha replied, “G reat M cdicine, take the w ind for instance. It is
devoid o f form or substance, . . . yet it m ay becom e ficrcc enough to blow M o u n t
Sum eru to dust-m otes. G reat M edicine, w h at is the form and shape o f the wind,
w hich can even destroy M o u n t Sumeru?”
Great M edicine said to the Buddha, “T he w ind is subtle and w ithout form
or substance.”
T he B uddha said, “ Great Medicine, the w ind is [indeed] subtle and w ithout
form or substance. T he consciousness is also subtle and w ithout form or substance,
yet it can maintain any body, w h eth er big or small. It can take on the bod y o f a
m osquito, and it can also take on the body o f an elephant. As an illustration,
consider a lamp w ith a subtle flame. W hen put in a room , the lam p can dispel all
the darkness o f the room , w hether the room is large or small. Similarly, the
consciousness can maintain a big or a small body according to its k arm as.”
G reat Medicine asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, what arc the
characteristics of karmas? What causcs and conditions enable them to manifest
them selves?”
T h e B uddha replied, “Great Mcdicine, it is bccausc o f his [good] karmas that
[a sentient being] is reborn in heaven, enjoying delicious food, peace, and happi­
ness. Suppose tw o thirsty persons w alk in the wilderness; one finds cool, sweet
water, b u t the other finds nothing and has to suffer from thirst and fatigue. N o
one gives the form er cool w ater or hinders the latter from obtaining it. T hey
acquire their fruits, blissful or painful, according to their k a r m a s . . . .
“As an illustration, consider a seed which is sow n in the soil; afterwards,
fruits appear at the top o f the tree. H ow ever, the seed does not go from branch to
branch and finally rcach the top o f the tree. The seed is not found even if the trunk
is disscctcd. N o one puts it into any branch. When the tree grow s up and the roots
bccom c firm, the seed cannot be found. Similarly, all good and evil karm as rely on
the body, but no karm a is found w h en the body is examined. Bccausc o f the seed,
there are flowers, but w ithin the seed no flower is found; because o f flowers, there
are fruits, but w ithin the flowers no fruit is found. . . . Similarly, bccause o f the
body, there are karmas, and bccause o f karmas, there is the body, but no karmas
are found w ithin the body and no bod y is found w ithin the karmas.
“Fruits do not appear until flowers fall down at m aturity. Similarly, the fruit
o f karm a does n o t ripen until the bod y dies at life’s end. Just as the seed is the cause
o f the flow er and fruit, so the body is the cause o f karmas, good and evil.
“ Karmas have no form and give no sign o f ripening. As an illustration,
236 O n C o n s c io u s n e s s

consider a person ’s shadow, w hich is insubstantial, unim peded, ungraspable, and

unattachcd to the person. It advances, stops, goes, and comes as the person docs,
yet it is n o t seen to com e out o f the body. In the same way, w here there is the
body, there are karmas, yet karmas are n o t found w ithin the b ody or apart from it.
“A dose o f good mcdicinc, w hether it tastes acrid, astringent, or bitter, can
curc a sick person’s disease and give him com fort and a good complexion. W hen
people see that person, they im mediately k now that he has taken fine medicine.
T he flavor o f the mcdicinc can be tasted, but its therapeutic function cannot be
seen. T h o u g h invisible and ungraspable, [the m cdicinc， s potency] can bring a
good com plexion to the person w h o takes it. Similarly, though w ithout form or
substance, karm as can influence a person. U n der the intlucncc of good karmas, a
person has abundant, splendid food and drink, clothing, and other internal and
external ncccssitics. H e has shapely limbs and handsom e features. H e has su m p ­
tuous houses and a hoard o f wish-fulfilling pearls, gold, silver, and o th er trea­
sures. H e is peaceful, happy, well-amused, and satisfied. It should be kn o w n that
all these are the manifestations o f good karmas. T o be reborn in a lowly, distant,
p oor region, to lack the necessities o f life, to envy others’ happiness, to have coarse
food or no food, to be shabby and ugly in appearancc, to stay in inferior places—
all these, you should know, arc the manifestations o f evil karmas.
“A clear m irro r reflects the beauty or ugliness o f a facc, b u t the image o f the
face in the m irror is insubstantial and ungraspable. Similarly, under the influence
o f good or evil karmas, the consciousness is born in a plane o f hum ans, gods,
hcll-dwcllcrs, animals, or others. G reat Medicine, you should k n o w that karmas
stay w ith the consciousness w h en it leaves one bod y for a n o t h e r . . .
Great Mcdicinc asked. “W orld-H onored One, h o w can this soft, subtle con­
sciousncss penetrate a hard form ?”
T h e B uddha answered, “Great Medicinc, w ate r is extrem ely soft, yet tor­
rents and cataracts can piercc mountain rocks. W hat do you think? H o w soft is
water and h o w hard is a rock?”
G reat M edicine said, “ W orld-H onored O ne, a rock m ay be as hard as a
diam ond, while w ater is soft and pleasant to the to u ch .”
[The B uddha said,] “Great Medicine, the same is true w ith the conscious­
ncss. It is extrem ely soft and subtle, b u t it can penetrate into a hard, big body in
w h ich to un d erg o karm ic results. ”• . .
Great Medicine asked the Buddha, “ W orld-H onored O ne, h o w can the fo rm ­
less consciousncss give birth to a form by virtue o f causes and conditions? • • •，，
The B uddha replied, “Great Medicine, two pieces of w o o d rubbed together
can producc fire by friction. T he fire cannot be found w ithin the wood. H ow ever,
w ith o u t the w ood, there w ould be no fire. T h e fire arises from the com bination o f
causcs and conditions; w ithout sufficient causes and conditions, no fire is pro­
duced. N o one can find the form o f the fire w ithin the w ood, but the fire which
comes from the w o od is visible to all.
“In the same way, G reat Medicine, the consciousncss gives birth to the
 T h e E lu c id a tio n o f C o n sc io u sn e ss 237

corporeal body th ro u g h the union o f the parents. H ow ever, the consciousness

cannot be found either w ithin the corporeal body or apart from it.
“G reat Medicine, before the fire is built, no attributes o f fire appear, such as
w a r m th and so on. Similarly, Great Medicine, w ithout the body, there w o u ld be
no appearance o f the consciousnesses, feelings, conceptions, or impulses.
“G reat M cdicine, the sun shines brightly, but ordinary people are unable to
k n o w w h eth er the substance o f the sun is black, white, yellow, or red, bccausc
they have n o t seen it. H ow ever, from the functions o f the sun, such as its giving
forth light and w arm th and its rising and setting, they k now that the sun exists.
Similarly, from the Junctions o f the consciousness, it is known that there is a CLViSLiousness.”
G reat M edicinc asked the Buddha, “W hat are the functions of the conscious­
ness?”
T h e B uddha replied, “Great Medicine, feeling, awareness, conception, im ­
pulse, thought, grief, sorrow , and distress— all these are functions o f the con­
sciousness. T he good and evil karmas, w hich have becom e seeds sow n in the
consciousness by pervading it repeatedly, also reveal the consciousness by their
functions.” . . .
When the B uddhas had explained this sutra, all those in the assembly, in­
cluding Elder Wise Protector, Prince G reat Mcdicinc, the m onks, Bodhisattva-
Mahasattvas, gods, asuras, gandharvas, and so forth, were jubilant over the B u d ­
dha's teaching and began to practice it w ith veneration.

NOTES

1. B uddhism does not usually treat consciousncss as an individual unity, but as a

group of different consciousnesses. H ow ever, in this siitra the totality o f different conscious­
nesses is view ed as a unity. This consciousness differs from the various c o m ponent con­
sciousnesses, such as the eye- o r visual consciousness, the ear- or auditory consciousness, and
so forth.
This sutra seem s to be one o f the forerunners or germ inal sources o f the M in d -O n ly
philosophy o f the Y ogacara school. T h e reader will find that the consciousness discussed here
is in m any ways similar to the Yogacara idea o f the ‘store consciousness' (dlayai'ijfuhia). The
store consciousncss is also callcd the 4fundam ental consciousness， ，which stores or upholds
m em o ry , impressions, and karm ic pow er. Som e Buddhists believe that w ithout it. the d o c ­
trines o f reincarnation, karma, suprem e enlightenm ent o f B uddhahood. and. ultimately, the
altruistic deeds o f a Bodhisattva w o uld n ot be possible. (G.C.)
2. A term o f rcspcct.
3. Literally, “entrances” (dyatana, C h . 入 )• A special term denoting the six sense-
organs and the six sense-objects or sensations, m aking up twelve entrances to perception.
H ere the text reads, “taking all the sense-fields w ith it.” H ow ever, w c should not
interpret this to m ean that the consciousness carrics the biological sense-organs or their
objects w ith it. Instead, it m a y be p re su m e d that this refers to the consciousness’s carrying
238 O n C o n sc io u sn ess

w ith it the im pressions and habits o f the form er life's sense-organ and sense-object com plex,
thus creating a new, complete, ethereal m in d -b o d y c om plex o f the interm ediate existence
betw een death and reincarnation (Tib. bar-do). (G.C.)
4. T hese questions and others raised later are n ot all clcarly answered in the text below.
H o w e v e r none o f the m ajor points o f explanation o f the consciousncss have been o m itted in
ou r translation.
5. T h e text here reads 遷 ，literally m eaning to m ove from one place to another, w hich
w o u ld translate as ‘transm igration， .
In certain passages o f the text, T he Questions of Kin^ Milinda, the conccpt o f transm i­
gration is severely criticized and refuted; instead o f'tra n sm ig ra tio n ' that siitra says that 4rein-
carnation’ should be used. H ow ever, this m ay only be a problem o f semantics. As long as
one does n ot cling to an eternal, unchanging, indivisible substancc o f ‘self’ there will be no
conflict w ith the basic Buddhist no-self (anarman) doctrine. Consciousness can transm igrate
w ith o u t being considered as an eternal and indcstructible self. Furtherm ore, the problem o f
transm igration and reincarnation can be treated on tw o different levels. O n the m undane
level, the existence o f a consciousness w hich transmigrates can be admitted. H ow ever, on a
higher level, even this consciousness is w ithout substancc or entity. (G.C.)
6. It should be noted that in other contexts and Buddhist scripturcs, pure conscious­
ness is said to have light.
7. C h . 受 鬼 法 界 . T h e second item in the scries, % ，is here translated as 'awareness'.
T h e usage o f 覺 here is rather unusual; it is n o t found in th e regular num erical series in
B uddhist te rm in o lo g y . 法 界 is not used in the usual sense o f dharm adatu.
T h e w o rd ‘dha rm a s’ ( 法 ）here is also used in an unusual sense (see the Glossary for its
ordinary meaning). It probably refers to the im pressions and habits left in the consciousness.
It is not clear to m e w h ether 法 界 （dharm a-rcalm ) here refers to the universe or to the
realm o f entities. (G .C.)
8. B oth the A b h idharm a a n d Yogacara schools seem to believe that w ithin or behind
cach o f the five sense-organs there is a corresponding pure organ o f form ( 淨 色 根 ) . These
organs arc invisible to ordinary h u m an beings, and only those w ith the deva-eyc can see
them .
H ere the text reads, “the organ o f to u c h ” （身 根 ），but the other version o f this siitra,
translated by Jn anagupta (Taisho 310，chapter 39, p. 610)，reads “the olfactory o rg a n ,” which
is m o re appropriate. (G.C.)
9. Here the text reads, ‘‘From consciousness comcs feeling. • • .’，This seems to mean
that from fundamental consciousness—the forerunner of the concept of store consciousncss—
all feelings, or sensations, can arise. T hat is to say, w ithout the fundam ental consciousness
serving as a substratum to uphold the views and impressions impinging upon the sense-organ
com plex, no feelings could possibly arise.
“From feeling comes awareness” presum ably means that from pleasant, unpleasant, or
n e u tra l feelings com c different kinds o f awareness, i.e., pain, pleasure, and so forth.
"F ro m awareness com e d harm as ，， seems to suggest the Yogacara idea o f the ‘seed’
(種子 ) o r ‘habit’ （習 氣 ）o f consciousness. M e m o ry is only possible w h e n an im pression is
planted. Im pression is n ot possible w ith o u t awareness, for im pression sim ply m eans the
awareness o f objccts (dharmas) being impressed u p o n the consciousness. This, perhaps, is the
significance o f the statem ent “ from awareness com e dha rm a s.” H ow ever, it can also be
interpreted to m ean that w h e n the consciousness o f a person leaves the dead body, it takes
 T he E lu c id a tio n of C o n sc io u sn e ss 239

along w ith it the impressions and habits regarding dharm as. T h ese impressions and habits
will serve as the seed o f his charactcr in the next life. (Sec also note 7 above.)
Im pressions include m oral impressions and judgm ents; thus, ‘‘one can tell goo d from
evil.” (G.C.)
10. ‘Self-nature’ （自 性 ）here does not im ply the quality o f clinging to self-nature
(suabhaua), but sim ply denotes the particular nature o f consciousness as sentient beings per­
ceive it.
11. See G lossary. In this sutra it is difficult to identify w hich m eaning (or m eanings) o f
■dharmadhatu’ are intended.
12. H ere w e clearly see the em ergence o f the concept o f the store consciousncss.
13. A kind o f fragrant yellow flower.
14. In o ther scriptures, su ch as the M a h d y d n a sa m g r a h a S d s t r a , w e do find statem en ts that
the consciousness leaves the b o d y th ro u g h a specific orifice. For instance, if the being is
destined to take rebirth in heaven, the consciousncss will leave thro u g h the “pure orifice” on
the head; if the being will fall to hell, the consciousness will leave th ro u g h the anus or feet,
etc. (G.C.)
15. Precisc translation o f this plant’s nam e is uncertain.
16. In the previous paragraph the consciousncss is com pared to a seed from which
grow s a plant; in this paragraph it is com pared to the earth w hich nourishes all plants. This
seems to indicate that ‘consciousness’ as used in the sutra can mean either the consciousness
o f a sentient being, or the cosmic consciousness underlying all sentient beings, or both.
(G .C.)
17. T h e text reads, u 由 法 界 屮 念 力 強 大 T h e Chinese 法 界 here seems not to denote
the ‘clement o f dhartnas' within the eighteen dhatus, but instead it strongly suggests the
d h a rm adhatu o f totality which is embraced by and identical with the root-consciousncss
( 根 木 )• Again, w c see a germ inal idea o f Yogacara philosophy.
18. T h e Chinese w o rd 風 m ay be translated cither as ‘w in d ’ or ‘air， . I presum e that
here it is the equivalent o f 氣 w hich translates the Sanskrit This term can mean
vitality, spirit, vital breath, or air. A ccording to tantric doctrinc, the consciousness o f a
sentient being cannot live independently o f prana. M ind and prana torm a tw o -in-onc unity.
M ind is the functional awareness, whereas prana has the function o f activity and pow er.
At the tim e o f death, wlicn the consciousness leaves the old b ody and transmigrates else­
where, it carries the subtle prana w ith it. (G .C.)
19. C o m m o n sense tells us that a man bo rn blind docs not sec colors or shapes in
dreams. H ow ever, this passage m ay refer to one w ho can rem e m b er his past lives. It is
th ro u g h his m e m o ry o f past lives that the m an born blind can see form s in a dream .
20. This docs not m ean that the actual sense-organs and sense-objects go with the
consciousness. See note 3 above.
21. Literally, “it has the cause o T form as its b o d y .”
22. T h e translations ‘b im b a ，and ‘Persian date，are uncertain.
23. This refers to a sentient being in the intermediate state (Tib. bar-do). in w hich there
is an ethereal body w ithout tangible biological constituents.
24. T h e translation o f 蘇 as ‘b u tter，is uncertain.
25. Literally, “elem ents.”
26. This passage only refers to the consciousness o f a sentient being w ith good kar­
mas, w h o is destined to be born in heaven.
240 O n C o n sc io u sn ess

27. Literally, “d e m e n ts and entrances."

28. Literally, “the b o d y ."
29. 'Riipa' m ay be translated either as ‘t o r m / w hich means the object o f vision, o r as
'objcct' or ‘m a tte r，
，w hich reters to any phenom enal thing. In the form er usage, rupa is one
ot the six scnse-objects. In the latter sense, rupa contrasts w ith the m ind, as indicated in the
Chinese phrase 色 心 二 法 ，‘tw o dharm as ot rupa and m in d :
30. T h e Chinese w o rd 福 is an abbreviation for cither 市畐報 or 福 德 • T h e Sanskrit
equivalent is putiya, w hich can m ean ‘m erit ，，‘virtue，’‘luck ，，‘fo rtune ，，‘auspiciousness ，，'bless­
ings', ctc. Since the m eaning is very broad, it is dit ticult to translate. A lthough w e translate
it here as 'blessings', it should not be und e rsto o d in the theological sense. It has been
necessary to translate this w o rd as ‘m erit，or 'virtue' in other contexts.
31. This passage states one ot the central messages o f the sutra, viz., that conscious­
ncss has no form , and yet it can manifest all forms; cannot be seen or k n o w n by ordinary
people; its profundity and w o n d e r arc beyond the com prehension ot the ordinary m ind, and
it therefore can be dcscribcd only by parables.
32. This seems to refer to the sickness resulting from possession.
33. Literally, “entity .”
 V
On Virtue and Discipline
 13 善順菩薩會

Bodhisattva Su rata’s Discourse

Thus have 丨heard. O nce the Buddha was dwelling in the garden o f A nathapin-
dada, in the Jeta G rove near SravastI, respectfully surrounded by five hundred
Sravakas, ten thousand Bodhisattvas, and others.
At that time, a Bodhisattva nam ed Surata was living in SravastI. In his past
lives, he had planted good roots o f all kinds in the lands o f innum erable Buddhas,
had served and m ade offerings to those Buddhas, and had attained nonregression
from the pursuit o f suprem e enlightenm ent. D welling in great kindness, he was
free o f anger or resentm ent at heart. D welling in great compassion, he never tired
o f saving others. D welling in great jo y , he was always in h arm on y w ith the
dharm adhatu. Dwelling in great equanimity, he saw the equality o f misery and
happiness.1 H e ate sparingly and at the proper time, had few desires, and was
content. Sentient beings w ere always glad to see him. O u t o f his compassion for
the people in the city, he constantly taught them the five lay preccpts and the eight
spccial precepts, and urged them to cultivate |the paramitas of] giving, discipline,
paticnce, vigor, m editation, and wisdom; also kindness, compassion, joy, and
equanimity; and pure conduct.
O ne day, Bodhisattva Surata, surrounded by an assembly o f sentient beings,
was about to lead them to see the B uddha and hear the D harm a. Sakra, king o f the
gods, saw with his clear deva-eyc that Surata cultivated austerities and observed
the pure precepts, both w ith remarkable diligence, and that he was firm in his
efforts to deliver sentient beings. Sakra th o u g h t to himself, “ Surata never neglects
to cultivate pure conduct. D oes he n o t intend to usurp m y throne? Is he not greedy
for kingship and pleasures?”
W ith this in m ind, Sakra conjurcd up four strong men, w h o w en t to the
Bodhisattva and abused him w ith all kinds o f foul language, beat him w ith sticks,
Sutra 27, Taisho 310, pp. 536-540; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.
244 O n V ir t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

hurt him w ith knives, and th rew tiles and stones at him. H ow ever, abiding in the
pow er o f kindness and patiencc, the Bodhisattva endured all this w ithout feeling
anger or hatred.
T hen Sakra conjured up four m ore men, w h o w en t to the Bodhisattva
and said, “Surata, those wickcd m en scolded and insulted you w ith evil language,
and harm ed you w ith tiles, stones, knives, and sticks, for no reason at all. W hy not
let us avenge you? We will kill those men for y o u .”
Surata said to them , “G ood men, d o not say such things! Killing is evil
karma. Even if someone should cut me into as m any pieccs as the leaves o f a date
tree, I w ould n o t think o f killing him. W hy? Becausc a killer will fall to the plane
o f hcll-dwellers, hun g ry ghosts, or animals. Even if he gains a hum an body, he
will always be detested by people, and even his ow n parents will not love him.
“G o od m en, all dharmas m ay generally be gro u p ed into tw o categories:
w holesom e and unw holesom e. U nw h o leso m e dharmas lead to rebirth in the m iser­
able planes o f existcncc, while w holesom e dharm as lead to benefit and blessing.”
T hen Bodhisattva Surata repeated this in verse:

“As in planting, happiness and misery

Result from the deeds performed.
H o w can a bitter seed
Yield a sweet fruit?
Seeing this universal truth,
T he wise should think:
Evildoing brings painful results,
While good deeds always lead
To pcacc and happiness .，，

H earing this, the m en w h o m Sakra had conjured up realized that they w ould
never be able to cause Surata to kill, and th ey at oncc disappeared.
T hen Sakra magically produced a huge am o u n t o f gold, silver, and other
treasures, along w ith some men, w h o brought the treasures to the Bodhisattva,
saying, “Y ou m ay take these treasures if you like. T h ey arc at y our disposal.”
A t this, Surata told them , “G ood men, d o n o t say such things. W h y not?
Bccause the karm a o f stealing can m ake sentient beings poor, lowly, inferior, and
helpless. Even if I w ere so p oor that I could not maintain m y life, I w o uld never
take anything not belonging2 to me. You should k n o w that ordinary people arc
silly, ignorant, and enveloped in desire. H o w can a wise person take anything not
belonging to him ?”
T h e n Bodhisattva Surata spoke in verse:

“O n e w h o accumulates billions
A nd is greedily attached [to his wealth],
 B o d h i s a t t v a S u r a t a ’s D i s c o u r s e 245

U nable to give it away,

Is said by the wise
T o be a m an ever poor in the world.
A penniless m an
W ho will readily give w hatever he has
Is said by the wise
T o be the noblest and richest on earth.
T he wise, being free from all evil,
H ave form s o f pcrfect magnificence;
B u t fools, due to their transgressions,
Arc ugly from head to foot.
T he wise persuade others to do good;
Fools arc always for evil.
It is b etter to be scolded by the wise
T han to be praised by fools.”

W hen they heard this, the m en conjured up by Sakra went aw ay disap­

pointed. T hen Sakra him self w en t to test Surata. Taking w ith him a great am o u n t
o f gold, he approachcd the Bodhisattva and said, “I have been in contention w ith
som e people in SravastI [in the court of] K ing Prasenajit. I need som eone to give
false testim ony for me. If you can be m y witness, I will give you all this g o ld .”
T h e Bodhisattva told Sakra, “V irtuous one, you should k n o w that it is evil
karma to lie. A liar lies to him self as well as to gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas,
asuras, garudas, kinnaras and mahoragas. Lying is the origin o f all evils; it leads to
rebirth in the miserable planes o f existence, to breach o f the pure prcccpts, and to
corruption o f the body. A liar’s m o uth will often reek, and his w ords will be
scorned and despised.”
T h en Bodhisattva Surata spoke in verse:

“A liar’s m o u th will give off a stench.

H e will fall to the miserable realms,
W here no one can rescue him.
A liar lies not only
T o gods, dragons, m ahoragas, and others;
H e also lies to himself.
K n o w that lying
Is the origin o f all evils;
It destroys o n e’s pure discipline
A nd brings one to rebirth
In the three miserable realms.
246 O n V ir t u e a n d D iscip lin e

Even if you gave m e enough gold

T o fill the entire world,
N ev er w ould I tell a lie.”

H earing this, Sakra disappeared at once. Then he ordered the goddesses3

Saci. Suryaprabha, Pancacuda, and others to go to Surata to test him again, by
tn.ing to m ake him break the precepts. A long with five hundred young goddesses,
Saci and the others anointed their bodies w ith perfum ed o in tm en t and adorned
them selves w ith flowers and other beautiful ornam ents. T h ey w ent to the B odhi­
sattva late at night, saying, “ Wc are lovely w om en in the prime o f life. We wish to
share y o u r pillow and bed so that w e m ay enjoy cach oth er.”
Looking at those w o m en with his stainless eyes, Surata said to them , “ You
are relatives and friends o f hell-dwellers, animals, beings o f the Yama Realm,
lunatics, evil-minded people, and atrocious raksasas4 that gorge themselves on stink­
ing, filthy pus and blood and indulge in im pure love. You do not belong to the
pure family o f gods. ”
T hen the Bodhisattva spoke in verse:

“C onfuscd and full o f im pure thoughts,

Fools arc attached to the stinking, filthy body
Filled with pus and blood.
All that they desire, though,
Will quickly perish
A nd pass into nought.
Then, such fools will fall to hell,
T he realm o f Yama, and there remain.
Even if all the w o m en in the w orld
W ere transform ed into goddesses
As lovely as you,
M y m ind w ould remain pristine,
Innocent o f even the subtlest desire.
I w ould regard them all
As dreams or enem ies.”

Saci and the other goddesses flirted to the utm ost, but the Bodhisattva was
not in the least stirred to passion. T h e y returned to the celestial palace and told
Sakra, “ We found Surata to be resolute. N o doubt he will attain suprem e enlighten­
ment. W hy? Because he is free o f even the slightest craving for us. H e abhors us
all.”
A lthough Sakra heard this, he was still w orried and upset and felt as though
he had been shot by an arrow. Again and again he thought, “N o doubt he will
ruin me and deprive m e o f w hat is mine. I m ust n o w test him once again to
determ ine his true p u rpose.”
 B o d h i s a t t v a S u r a t a ’s D i s c o u r s e 247

W ith this in mind, Sakra went to Surata. Giving up his conceit and ar­
rogance and prostrating him self w ith his head at the Bodhisattva’s feet, he asked
in verse:

“Virtuous one, you are m ost diligent

In cultivating pure conduct.
W hat, then, is y our aim?
T o be a sun-god, a m oon-god,
An indra, or a brahma?
D o you strive for the throne
O f any king in the three realms?”

Bodhisattva Surata answered in verse:

“T o me, the rew ards o f being a sun-god,

A m oon-god, an indra, or a brahma;
O r o f being a w orldly king
In the three realms
A rc all im perm anent and insubstantial.
H o w can the wise seek these?”

H earing this, Sakra inquired, “If you speak truly, w h at then do you seek?”
T h e Bodhisattva answered in verse:

“I covct not w orldly pleasure,

B ut seek only that b o d y 5
Subjcct to neither birth nor death.
Tirelessly I cultivate ingenuity
T o deliver sentient beings,
So that together w e m ay tread
The path to enlightenm ent.”

When he heard this, Sakra felt happy and securc, and was sure at last that
Surata did not strive for his throne. O verjoyed, he praised the Bodhisattva in
verse:

“Y ou say you wish to save sentient beings.

Great is your ambition—
Indeed, it is unequalcd.
M ay you defeat the dem on-hordes
A nd realize the ambrosial [Dharma],
A nd thenceforth turn forever
T he sublime D h arm a-w h eel.”
248 O n V i r t u e a n d D is c ip lin e

After he spoke this verse, Sakra respectfully circumambulatcd Surata, pros­

trated himself w ith his head at the Bodhisattva’s feet, and then disappeared in an
instant.

The next m orning, when Bodhisattva Surata was m aking his rounds teach­
ing people in the city o f SravastI, he found a gold bcjl made at the beginning o f the
kalpa, w hich was w o rth m ore than the w orld itself. T he Bodhisattva held the gold
bell in his hand and called out at the main crossroads o f the city, “W ho is the
poorest in the city o f SravastI? I shall give him this bell.”
W hen the oldest elder o f the city heard this, he came running and said to
Surata, “I am the poorest in the city. You m ay give me that bell.”
Surata told the elder, “Y ou are not poor. W hy do I say so? Bccause in the
city there is a good m an w h o is the poorest o f the poor. I shall give him the bell.”
The elder asked, “W h o is this m an?”
Surata answered, “ King Prasenajit is the poorest in the city.”
The elder said to Surata, “D o not say so. W hy? Becausc King Prasenajit is
very rich and noble; his treasury is overflow ing with wealth and precious things
that will never be exhausted. W hy do you say he is the poorest o f the poor?”
S urrounded by the assembly [he had been teaching], the Bodhisattva an ­
sw ered in verse:
“If one has a treasury o f billions
A nd yet, due to greed, is still unsatisfied,
H e is like a great occan,
Which never has enough
O f the m yriad streams it swallows.
Such a fool is the poorest o f the poor.
If such a fool allows his greed
T o grow , spread, and perpetuate,
He will always be needy
In his present and future lives.”
A f ter speaking this verse, Bodhisattva Surata w ent w ith the assembly to see
King Prasenajit. At that time，the king, w ith five hundred elders, was counting
and chccking the valuables in his treasury. The Bodhisattva approachcd the king
and said, “This m orning w h en I was m aking m y rounds teaching the people in the
city, I found a gold bell m ade at the beginning o f the kalpa, w hich is w o rth more
than the w orld itself. At that time, I thought to myself, ‘1 should take the bell and
give it to the poorest person in the city.，T hen I thought, ‘T he poorest in the city is
His M ajesty.’ N o w I w ant to offer the bell to Y our Majesty. Since Your Majesty is
the poorest, please accept it from m e .”
H aving said this, the Bodhisattva spoke further in verse:
 B o d h i s a t t v a S u r a t a ’s D i s c o u r s e 249

“Such a senseless man

W ho is m onstrously greedy
A nd amasses riches insatiably
Is callcd the poorest o f all.
Y our M ajesty, you levy harsh taxes
A nd punish the innocent for no reason.
Infatuated w ith y o u r sovereignity,
You never heed
T he future effects o f y o u r karmas.
While you enjoy po w er in this world,
Y ou do not protcct y o u r subjects,
A nd have no pity
For the poor and suffering.
Y ou indulge in w o m e n ’s com pany
W ithout any fear o f falling
T o the miserable planes o f existence.
You arc n o t even conscious
O f y o u r outrageous wickedness—
Arc you not poor?
If one practiccs mindfulness diligently
A n d delights in self-control,
H e is callcd rich and noble,
A nd his wealth o f goodness will bring him
Eternal peace and jo y .
As a roaring conflagration
N ev er has enough w ood to consum c ，
So, O King, y o u r avarice
Is never satiated.
As the w ater can always engulf m ore clouds,
A nd the occan never overflow s w ith water,
So arc you, O King,
N ev er satiated.
As the sun and m oon
Incessantly coursc through spacc,
So y o u , 〇 King, will never rest
In all your life.
A wise person, though,
Like roaring flames
250 O n V ir t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

Insatiably devouring w ood,

N ev er ceases to do good.
As the w ater can ever engulf m ore clouds,
A nd the occan never overflows w ith water,
So a wise m an is never satiated
W ith his ever-increasing goodness.
A lthough the th ro n e gives pow er,
It is, after all, im perm anent.
All such things arc impure;
T h e wise should abandon th e m .”

W hen he heard this, K ing Prascnajit felt shame and remorse, but he said to
Surata, “Well said, virtuous one. A lthough you are very persuasive, I still do not
believe you. Is all that you have said m erely y our o w n opinion? Can someone else
bear witness to its truth?”
T he Bodhisattva replied, “T h e Tathagata, the W o rth y O ne, the Suprem ely
Enlightened O ne, w h o is en d o w ed w ith all-know ing w isdom , is n o w dwelling
near Sravasti in the garden o f A nathapindada in the Jeta Grove, together with
countless gods, hum ans, gandharvas, asuras, and so forth. D o you n o t k n o w that?
H e will bear witness that Y our Majesty is a p oor m a n .”
T h e king said, “Virtuous one, if w hat you say is true, then I will go w ith
you to see the Tathagata, listen to his teaching, take refuge in him, and m ake
offerings to h im .”
T he Bodhisattva said, “Y o u r Majesty should k n o w that the state o f the
Tathagata cannot be fathom ed by ignorant, ordinary persons. H e is free o f all
afflictions and arrogancc, and has great compassion for sentient beings. H e know s
the present and the future through his saintly w isdom . H e will protect anyone w ho
has good roots and superior aspirations, even if he is far away. If he know s that I
wish to convincc Y o u r Majesty, he will surely come here and be m y w itness.”
Then, in the presence of the king, Surata bared his right shoulder, kflt on his
right knee, respectfully joined his palms, and w ith this verse invited the Tathagata
to appear:

“T h e Tathagata, w ith true w isdom ,

H as compassion tor sentient beings.
M ay he disccrn the depth o f m y m ind
A nd be so kind as to be m / w i t n e s s . ”

T he m o m en t the Bodhisattva finished speaking, the ground suddenly quaked

and burst open, and the Tathagata sprang from the chasm, surrounded by five
hundred Sravakas; ten thousand Bodhisattvas; brahmas, sakras, gods, dragons,
spirits, and countless o th er sentient beings.
 B o d h i s a t t v a S u r a t a ’s D i s c o u r s e 251

Bodhisattva Surata then approached the B uddha with his palms respectfully
joined, and said, “W orld-H onored One, this morning w hen I was teaching people
in the city, I found a gold bell m ade at the beginning o f the kalpa, w hich is w o rth
m ore than the entire w orld itself. I thought, ‘I shall give this bell to the poorest
person in the city o f SravastT.1 T h en I thought, ‘King Prasenajit is the poorest in
the city. ，Why? Presum ptuously resting on his throne, His Majesty has no sym ­
pathy for sentient beings. H e oppresses, exploits, cheats, and robs them , and
harm s them unreasonably. H e is w rapped in insatiable greed and passion. T here­
fore, I consider him to be the poorest o f m en and wish to give him the gold bell.
“His M ajesty asked me, ‘Y ou say that I am the poorest. W ho can prove it to
be true?’
“I answered, ‘T h e Tathagata, the G reat Master, the W orth y One, the Su­
prem ely Enlightened O ne, is free o f all afflictions, w ith o u t the slightest trace o f
hatred, and treats all sentient beings impartially. He will prove the truth o f m y
statem ent•’ M ay the W orld-H onored O n e instruct, benefit, and gladden us!”
T hereupon, w ishing to subdue K ing Prasenajit, the Tathagata told him,
“Y o u r M ajesty should k n o w that from one viewpoint, Surata is p o o r but Y our
M ajesty is rich. From another viewpoint, Y our M ajesty is poor but Surata is rich.
W hy? Being enthroned, Y o u r Majesty has w orldly pow er, and y o u r treasury is full
o f gold, silver, pearsl, sapphires, and corals. In this respect, Surata is p o o r but
Y our M ajesty rich.
“H ow ever, Surata cultivates pure conduct diligently, delights in the pure
precepts, has left the household life, has acquired great learning, shuns sclf-in-
dulgence, and tirelessly delivers large num bers o f people by teaching them the five
lay prccepts and the eight special precepts. A ny one of these merits is enough to
show that Y our M ajesty is p oor but Surata rich. Y our Majesty should k n o w that
all the wealth and treasures o f the sentient beings in the kingdom o f Kosala6 cannot
equal one hundredth, one thousandth, or one millionth o f Surata’s [treasury of]
firmness and purity in keeping the five lay precepts and the eight special precepts.”
H earing for him self the true teaching o f the Tathagata, K ing Prasenajit aban­
doned all his conceit and arrogance. Looking up at Surata attentively, he joined his
palms and said in verse:

“H o w wonderful!
You have thw arted m y arrogance.
Y ou will acquire
T he suprem e b o d y o f a Tathagata.
I will abdicate m y th ro ne in y our favor
A nd wish to remain forever
A m ong y our enlightened assembly.
I am indeed poor, b u t you are rich.
N o w I k n o w y o u r w ords are true.
 O n V ir t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

A throne is only a causc o f great suffering,

Com pelling one to act against good doctrincs
A nd be reborn in the miserable planes o f existcncc.”

After speaking this verse, King Prasenajit said to the Buddha, 41W orld-
H onored One, I n o w v o w to attain supreme enlightenment. I wish that sentient
beings m ay be secure, happy, and free from the bondage o f samsara.
“I will n o w divide all m y wealth and treasures o f gold, silver, and so forth
into three parts. One portion I will offer to the Tathagata, the W orld-H onored
O ne, and to the assembly o f m onks. A nother portion I will give to the poor,
distressed, and helpless people in the city o f SravastI. T he third p ortion will be
reserved for state use. I will offer all m y gardens, ponds, flowers, and fruit
trees to the Suprem e Tathagata and to the assembly o f m onks. M ay the W orld-
H o n o red O n e be so kind as to acccpt them !”
Seeing this occur, five hundred elders o f Kosala all engendered suprem e
bodhicitta.
T hen Bodhisattva Surata said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, m ay
the Tathagata teach the cssence o f the D harm a to the assembly so that those w h o
have m et the Tathagata m ay not have m et him in vain!”
T h e W o rld -H o n o red O ne told the assembly, “G ood people, there are three
provisions o f imm easurable merits, 士nerits which cannot be fully enumerated even
by Tathagatas, let alone by Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas. W hat arc the three? T o
protect and uphold the true D harm a, to bring forth bodhicitta, and to persuade
others to m ake uncxccllcd vows.
“Furtherm ore, there are thirty-tw o D harm as that good m en and good w om en
m u st practicc industriously in order not to have m et the Tathagata in vain:
(1) T o have indcstructible faith in Tathagatas;
(2) to protect and uphold the true D harm a so that it m ay endure;
(3) to esteem the m em bers o f the Sagha and never to slight them;
(4) to rcspect and closely associate w ith Arhats;
(5) to have an equal m ind tow ard w hat is lovable or hateful;
(6) always to be fond o f hearing the true D h arm a and to respect it;
(7) to abide securely in quietude and tranquillity and to shun noise and
disturbance;
(8) to teach the Tathagata-vehiclc untiringly;
(9) to teach the D harm a, but n o t for the sake o f fame or profit;
(10) to strive for the truth and practice assiduously in accordance w ith it;
(11 to practice giving;
(12) to observe discipline;
(13) to have paticnce;
(14) to strive w ith vigor;
(15) to cultivate meditation;
 B o d h i s a t t v a S u r a t a ’s D i s c o u r s e 253

(16) to develop true wisdom ;

(17) to take good care o f sentient beings in accordance w ith their wishes;
(18) to bring all sentient beings to maturity, so that they m ay not fall aw ay
from the D harm a;
(19) always to subdue oneself well;
(20) to subdue others by skillfully m aking use o f the essence o f the D harm a;
(21) n o t to be contam inated by any defilements;
(22) to delight in leaving the household life;
(23) to live in a forest hermitage;
(24) to rejoice in cultivating the four noble practices;
(25) to practice austerities diligently;
(26) to give up unw holesom e dharmas;
(27) to be firm in o n e’s great vows;
(28) to lead the life o f a forest-dweller conscientiously;
(29) to plant good roots;
(30) always to abide in self-control; ; _
(31) to abandon the views o f the tw o vehicles; and
(32) to praise the M ahayana.n
W hen they heard this doctrine preached, five hundred m onks were freed
from defilements and achieved the pure Dharm a-eye; twelve thousand sentient
beings resolved to attain supreme enlightenment.
A fter benefiting sentient beings by preaching the D harm a, the W orld-
H o no red O ne, together w ith the m onks and others w h o had appeared [with him
in the k in g ’s treasury], suddenly disappeared.
H aving seen all this, K ing Prasenajit was jubilant. H e gave Bodhisattva
Surata tw o garments, each o f w hich cost one h undred thousand taels o f gold, and
said, tlW onderful, virtuous one! Please be so kind as to accept these.”
B odhisattva Surata told the king, “ Y our M ajesty should k n o w that I should
not take these tw o garments. W hy so? Because I have a patched robe, w hich I
often hang on a branch in lieu of a closet. N o one has ever th o u g ht of taking it
aw ay fro m me by fraud or by force. Pure arc the gifts given by those who
arc not only free of avarice themselves, but also cause others not to be attached
to an ything.”
A t this, K ing Prasenajit said, “If you do not accept them , please, for m y
sake, tread upo n th e m to b rin g m e the benefit o f peace and happiness in the long
night [of saiiisara], ” For the k ing’s sake, Surata tro d u p o n th e tw o garments.
K ing Prasenajit then told the Bodhisattva, “N o w you have personally ac­
cepted the garments. W hat is the use o f them to m e?”
B odhisattva Surata told the king, “T ake the garm ents to the poor, distressed
people in the city w h o have no one to depend o n .”
A s instructed b y the Bodhisattva, King Prasenajit called the p oor people
together and gave th em the tw o garments. W hen they touched the clothes, the
254 O n V i r t u e a n d D is c ip lin e

lunatics regained their sanity, the deaf regained their hearing, the blind regained
their sight, and the deform ed were m ade whole again, all because o f Surata’s
aw esome m iraculous pow er.
T he people said in unison, “W hat can wc offer Bodhisattva Surata in return
for his kindness?”
A voice from the sky told them , “ K n ow that you cannot repay his kindness
by offering him flowers, incense, food, or beverage; you can do so only by
im m ediately engendering bodhicitta.”
W hen the five hundred p oor people heard this voice from the sky, they all
spoke in verse:

“N o w we resolve to attain bodhi.

We shall bccomc perfectly enlightened
A nd teach the superb doctrines,
T o give pcacc and jo y to sentient beings.
We delight in bodhi,
For w e have obtained the B u d d h a-D h arm a.”

T hen K ing Prascnajit said to Surata, “W onderful, virtuous one. Please tell
m e w hen you will go to see the Tathagata. I shall follow y o u .”
Bodhisattva Surata advised him, “Y our Majesty should k n o w that it is very-
rare to m eet a Buddha and hear the true Dharma. Y our M ajesty should n o t go
alone. Instead, be a good friend to sentient beings and o rd er all the people in the
city o f SravastT to follow you there. Dccrce that anyone w h o disobeys your in­
structions will be punished according to the royal ordinance. Why? Because ju st as
a Bodhisattva is adorned by the retinue surrounding him, a king should also be
thus ad o rned .”
K ing Prasenajit asked the Bodhisattva, “W h a tis the retinue o fa Bodhisattva?”
Surata replied, “T o persuade sentient beings to engender bodhicitta is the
retinue o f a Bodhisattva, becausc it causes them to be enlightened.
“T o persuade sentient beings to see the Tathagata is the retinue o f a B odhi­
sattva, bccausc they will then n o t be misled.
“T o persuade sentient beings to hear the true D harm a is the retinue o f a
Bodhisattva, bccausc it causes them to have great learning.
“T o persuade sentient beings to see the noble assembly7 is the retinue o f a
Bodhisattva, bccausc it enables them to have virtuous friends.
“T h e four inducem ents are the retinue o f a Bodhisattva, because they attract
sentient beings [to the Buddha-D harm a].
“T h e six paramitas are the retinue o f a Bodhisattva, becausc they enhance the
g ro w th o f enlightenment.
“T he thirty-seven ways to enlightenm ent are the retinue o f a Bodhisattva,
becausc they lead to the bodhi-site.
 B o d h i s a t t v a S u r a t a ’s D i s c o u r s e 255

“A dorned and guarded by such a retinue, a Bodhisattva can defeat the dem on-
hordes, make the lion's roar, and ascend to the supreme state.”
A t this, King Prasenajit and the entire assembly were overjoyed. N ine thou­
sand sentient beings w ere freed from defilements and obtained the clear [Dharma-]
eye.
After the B uddha had spoken this sutra,8 Bodhisattva Surata, King Prasenajit,
the gods, hum ans, gandharvas, asuras, and so forth w ere jubilant o ver the B ud ­
dha's teaching and began to practice it with veneration.

NOTES

Kindness, compassion, joy, and equanim ity are called the four immeasurables.
Literally, “g iv en .”
I.e., Sakra's consorts.
Raksasas are demonic. terrifying spiritsrfhat are said to devour h u m an beings.
This probably refers to the D h a rm a -b o d y o f the Buddha.
T h e city o f SravastI was located in the k in gdom o f northern Kosala (Uttarakosala,
the m o d e rn O ude), over w h ic h King Prasenajit reigned. “Kosala” is som etim es spelled
uKosala,! in other texts.
7. I.e., the Saiiigha.
A lthough Surata prcachcd m ost ot this sutra, the traditional conclusion has been
retained. O n e might say that Surata's prcaching was inspired by the B uddha and his teachings.
 14 妙慧童女會

Su m ati’s Questions

T hus have I heard. O ncc the B uddha was dwelling on M o u n t Grdhrakuta near
Rajagrha, accom panicd by twelve hundred fifty great m onks and ten thousand
Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas.
A t that time, an cider's daughter named Sumati, w h o was only eight years
old, was living in the city o f Rajagrha. She had graceful features and was ex­
quisitely beautiful. Bccausc o f her beauty and gracc, she was adored by everyone
w h o saw her. In her past lives, she had associated closcly w ith innumerable Bud­
dhas, had m ade offerings to them , and had planted good roots o f every kind.
O n e day this yo u n g girl w e n t to visit the Tathagata. W hen she arrived, she
paid hom age to the Buddha by bow ing d o w n w ith her head at his feet and
circum am bulating him three times to the right. Then, kneeling w ith her palms
joined, she spoke to the B uddha in verse:

"Uncxccllcd, Pcrfcctly Enlightened One,

Great, brillant light o f the world,
Please listen to m y questions
A b ou t the practiccs o f a Bodhisattva.”

T he Buddha told Sumati, "A sk w hatever questions you wish. I will explain
the answers to you and resolve y our d o u b ts.”
T h en Sumati asked the B uddha in verse:

“H o w docs one obtain graceful features,

O r great wealth and nobility?

Sutra 30, Taisho 310, pp. 547-549; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.
 Su m a t i's Q u e st io n s 257

What causes one s rebirth

A m o n g harm onious relatives and friends?
By w hat means m ay one be b o m ethereally,
Seated upon a thousand-petaled lotus,
T o w orship the B uddhas face to facc?
H o w can one obtain a free co m m an d
O f superb, miraculous powers,
A nd thus jo u rn e y to countless Buddha-lands
T o pay hom age to m yriad Buddhas?
H o w can one be free from enm ity
A nd cause others to believe o n e’s words?
H o w m ay all hindrances to D harm a be rem oved
A nd evil deeds forever cast away?
A t the end o f one's life,
H o w m ay one sec m an y Buddhas,
A nd th en ,^ree o f pain,
H ear th em prcach the pure D harm a?
M ost C om passionate, Suprem ely H o n o red One,
Please tell me all this.”
The Buddha said to the young girl Sumati, “Excellent ，excellent! It is good
that you raise such profound questions. N ow , listen carefully and think well about
this. I will tell y o u .”
Sumati said, “ Yes, W orld-H onored One, I will listen with pleasure.”
T he B uddha said, “Sumati, if a Bodhisattva achieves four things, he will be
endow ed with a graceful appearancc. W hat arc the four?
N o t to be an g ry [even] w ith a bad friend;
to have great kindness;
to rcjoicc in the true D harm a; and
to m ake images o f B u d d h as.”
T he W o rld-H onored O n e repeated this in verse:
“H arbo r no hatred, w hich destroys good roots.
Rcjoice in the D harm a, be kind,
A nd m ake images o f Buddhas.
T hese will give you a well-form ed body,
An ever-delightful sight to all.”
T he B uddha continued, “Furtherm ore, Sumati, if a Bodhisattva achieves
four things, he will be endow ed w ith wealth and nobility. W hat are the four?
258 O n V ir t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

(1) T o give tim ely gifts;

(2) to give w ith o u t contem pt or arrogance;
(3) to give cheerfully; and
(4) to expect no rew ard .”
T he W orld -H o n o red O ne repeated this in verse:

“T o give tim ely gifts w ith o u t contem pt or arrogance,

T o give gladly w ithout expecting a rew ard—
O n e w h o diligently practiccs these
Will be reborn w ith wealth and nobility.”

T he B uddha continued, “Furtherm ore, Sumati, i f a Bodhisattva achieves

four things, he will have harm onious friends and kinsmen. W hat are the four?
(1) T o avoid using w ords that causc disagreement;
(2) to help those w ith w ro n g views to have right view;
(3) to protect the 蠢true Dharm a from extinction, causing it to endure; and
(4) to teach sentient beings to pursue the B u d d h a’s enlightenm ent.”
T he W o rld-H onored O n e repeated this in verse:

“ Sow no discord, help upro o t w ro n g views,

Protcct the true D harm a from extinction,
A nd bring all beings within the secure embrace o f bodhi.
For this you will have harm onious friends and k i n s m e n . . . .

T he B uddha continued, “Furthermore, Sumati, if a Bodhisattva achieves

four things, he will be able to live am ong people w ithout enmity. W hat are the
four?
(1) T o be close to virtuous friends w ith o u t using flattery;
(2) n o t to envy others’ superiority;
(3) to rcjoicc w hen som eone wins a good reputation; and
(4) n o t to slight or defame the practices o f a Bodhisattva.”
T he W orld-H onored O n e repeated this in verse:

“If one does n o t win friends by flattery,

Is not jealous o f others' superiority,
Always rejoices w hen others gain fame,
A nd never slanders a Bodhisattva,
H e will be free o f en m ity .”

T he B uddha continued, “Furtherm ore, Sumati, a B odhisattva’s w ords will

be trusted if he practiccs four things. W hat are the four?
 S u m a t i ’s Q u e s t io n s 259

(1) T o be consistent in word and deed;

(2) n o t to conceal o n e ’s evil from friends;
(3) never to find fault w ith the D harm a one hears; and
(4) n o t to foster malicc against a teacher o f the D h a rm a .”
T he W orld-H onored O n e repeated this in verse:

“O n e w h o is consistent in w ord and deed.

A nd never hides misdeeds from friends,
N o r finds faull w ith a sutra or its preachcr
Will have his w ords believed.”

T he B uddha continued, “Furtherm ore, Sumati, if a Bodhisattva achieves

four things, he will m eet no obstacles to [his practicc of] the D harm a and will
quickly gain purity. W hat are the four?
(1) T o em brace the three rules o f conduct1 w ith deep joy;
(2) n o t to disparage profound sutras w h e n hearing them ; 一
⑶ to treat a new ly avow ed Bodhisattva as an A ll-K now ing O ne; and
(4) to be equally kind tow ard all beings•” .
T he W orld -H o n o red O n e repeated this in verse:

“If one, w ith deep jo y, embraces rules o f conduct;

U nderstands w ith faith the profound discourses;
H onors a novicc as a Buddha;
A nd is equally kind tow ard all—
T hen such a person’s hindrances will vanish.”

T h e B uddha continued, “Furtherm ore, Sumati, if a Bodhisattva achieves

four things, he will be protected from demons. W hat are the four?
1

T o understand th at all dharmas are equal in nature;

to strive vigorously for progress;
F
T"

to rccollect the Buddha continually; and

4
) to dedicate all good roots [to the universal attainment o f enlightenment].
T he W o rld -H o n o red O ne repeated this in verse:

“If one know s that all dharm as arc equal in nature.

C onstantly makes energetic progress, ,
Is ever m indful o f the Buddha,
A n d dedicates all roots o f virtue
[To the attainm ent o f B uddhahood by all],
N o d e m o n can devise a w ay to attack h im .”
26 " O n V ir t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

The Buddha continued, “Furtherm ore, Sumati, if a Bodhisattva achieves

tour things. Buddhas will appear to him at the tim e o f his death. W hat are the
tour*
1

T o satisfy those in need of charity;

2

to understand and deeply believe in virtuous practiccs;

to provide Bodhisattvas w ith adornments; and
3

to m ake frequent offerings to the T h ree Jew els.”

4

T he W o rld-H onored O n e repeated this in verse:

“O n e w h o fulfills the needs o f a seeker,

U nderstands and believes in the profound D harm a,
Furnishes Bodhisattvas w ith adornm ents,
A nd makes frequent offerings
T o the T hree Jewels, the fields o f blessing,
Will see Buddhas w h en he dies.” . . .

T hen Manjusri, the D harm a Princc, asked Sumati, “In w hat D h arm a do you
abide, that you are able to m ake such a sinccrc vow ?”
Sumati replied, 4tManjusri, this is n o t a proper question. W hy? Because there
is no abiding in the dharm adhatu.
“W hat is bodhi?”
“N ondiscrim ination is b o d h i.”2
“W ho is a Bodhisattva?”
“O ne w h o know s that all dharm as have the same nature as em p ty space is a
Bodhisattva. ”
“W hat arc the enlightened deeds [of a Bodhisattva|?”
“Deeds that are like mirages and cchocs are the enlightened d e e d s ,
“ U p o n w h at esoteric teaching d o you base y o u r statem ent?”
“I do n o t see anything in this that is csotcric or otherw ise.”
“ If that is the case, every ordinary person should be an Enlightened O n e .”3
“D o you think an ordinary person is different from an Enlightened O ne?4 Do
not take such a view! W hy? Becausc they both share the same nature, that of the
dharm adhatu; there is nothing in either to grasp or abandon, to accomplish or
destroy. ”
“H o w m an y people can understand this?”
“T h e illusory beings w h o understand this arc equal in n u m b er to the illusory
m inds and mental functions.’’5
M anjusrl said, 44Illusions do not exist; h o w can there be m inds and m ental
functions?”
“T h ey are like the dharm adhatu, w hich neither exists n o r does not exist. The
same is true o f the T a t h a g a t a . . . .
 S u m a t i ’s Q u e s t i o n s 261

NOTES

1. T h e th re e rules o f c o n d u c t m a y refer to the th re e rules for p ro te c tin g o n e f ro m evil,

n am e ly , discipline, m ed ita tio n , and tran scen d en tal w is d o m . T h e y m a y also refer to the
B o d h isa ttv a s’ precepts, w h ic h includc th re e branches: th e discipline o f p u re c o n d u c t (P ra ti-
m oksa), th e discipline o f altruistic deeds, a n d th e discipline o f e m b ra c in g all v irtu o u s deeds.
2. Literally, “T h e D h a r m a o f n o n d isc rim in a tio n is b o d h i .”
3. Literally, “e v e ry o rd in a ry p e rso n s h o u ld be b o d h i .”
4 . A n E n lig h te n e d O n e : literally, “b o d h i .”
5. T h e C h in e se te r m 心 所 is here ren d e re d as ‘m e n ta l fun ction s', b u t it can also m e a n
th e q ualities a n d con d itio n s o f m in d .
 15 優 波離會

The Definitive Vinaya

Thus have I heard. O ncc the B uddha was dwelling in the garden o f A nathapin-
dada, in the Jeta Grove near SravastI, accompanicd by twelve hundred fifty great
m onks and five hundred thousand Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas.
T h e W o rld -H o n o red O n e cast his eyes upon the assembly and surveyed it
like a king o f dragons or elephants. T hen he asked the Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas,
“G o od m en, w hich one o f you can, in the Last Era, protect and uphold the true
D harm a?'W hich one o f you can embrace the D harm a leading to suprem e enlighten­
m ent— the Dharm a w hich took the Tathagata incalculable hundreds o f thousands
o f (millions of] billions o f myriads o f kalpas to accumulate— and abide securely in
the esoteric [teachings] to bring sentient beings to m aturity by various skillful
m eans?”
T h en Bodhisattva M aitrcya rose from his scat, bared his right shoulder,
knelt on his right knee, joined his palms, and said, “W orld-H onored One, I can, in
the Last Era, protcct and u p hold the D harm a leading to suprem e enlightenm ent—
the D h arm a w hich took the Tathagata incalculable hundreds o f thousands o f [mil­
lions of] billions o f m yriads o f kalpas to accum ulatc.”
Bodhisattva Lion W isdom said, “ I can abide securely in the esoteric [teach­
ings] and bring sentient beings to m aturity by various skillful m ean s.”
Bodhisattva Infinite T h o u g h t said, “ I can liberate inexhaustible realms o f
sentient beings by m y great v o w s.”
Bodhisattva W orthy said, “I can causc all sentient beings w h o hear m y nam e
to attain m atu rity w ith o u t fail.n . . -1
Bodhisattva R em oving O bstruction said, “I can release sentient beings from
the shackles o f defilements.”

Sutra 24, T ais h o 310, pp. 514-519; translated into C h in e se b y B od h iru c i.

 T h e D e f in it iv e V in a y a 263

Bodhisattva W isdom Banner said, “I can rid sentient beings o f the shroud of
ignorance.” . . .
Bodhisattva Sun Banner said, “I can constantly bring sentient beings to
m aturity by giving them pcace and j o y . ” • . .
Bodhisattva G ood Eye said, “ I can give sentient beings the peace and hap­
piness that arc in their self-nature."
Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara said, “ I can extricate sentient beings from the
miserable planes o f ex is te n c e .". . .
Bodhisattva Universal Virtue said, “I can cause sentient beings to liberate
themselves by rem em bering the sufferings they endured in the past.， ’ .• .
Bodhisattva W onderfully Pliant said, “I can bring to m aturity the lowly,
inferior beings w h o have little w isd o m .” . . .
Bodhisattva Great M ight said, “I can close the doors to all the miserable
planes o f cxistcncc for sentient b e in g s ." . . .
Bodhisattva M oonlight said, “I can give sentient beings ultimate peace and
happiness.
Bodhisattva Sunlight said, “I can bring to m aturity those sentient beings
w h o have n o t yet m atu red .”
Bodhisattva U ndefiled said, “I can cause sentient beings to fulfil all their
aspirations.” . . .
Bodhisattva Fearless said, “ 1 can attract sentient beings into the Buddha-
D h arm a by praising and benefiting th e m ." . . .
Bodhisattva Imm easurable said, “I can show sentient beings the uncondi­
tioned truth that underlies all dh arm as.”
Bodhisattva Fearless said, “ I can m ake w hatever kinds o f manifestations
sentient beings w ish .” . . .
Bodhisattva Treasure T rove said, “I can deliver sentient beings from all
hindrances.” . . .
Bodhisattva D iam ond said, “I can reveal to sentient beings the right path .”
Bodhisattva Blessed Appcarance said, “I can liberate sentient beings by pleas­
ing th e m .” . . .
Bodhisattva Undefiled said, “ I can love and protect all sentient beings and
thereby bring them to m atu rity .” . . .
Bodhisattva Golden Light said, “I can appear in various corporeal form s to
bring sentient beings to m atu rity .” . . .
T he youthful [Bodhisattva] N e t o f Light said, “1 can manitcst light for
sentient beings to eliminate their afflictions in the Last Era.”
W hen Sariputra heard the Bodhisattvas valiantly m ake these great vow s to
bring sentient beings to maturity, he marveled at this unprecedented event and said
to the Buddha, “M ost extraordinary, W orld-H onored Oncl These Bodhisattvas
are inconceivable. T hey arc filled w ith great compassion and ingenuity; they adorn
them selves w ith valor and vigor. T hey cannot be fathom ed or corrupted by any
being, n o r can they be outshone by any brilliance. W orld-H onored O ne, I will
264 On V i r t u e a n d D isc ip lin i：

extol the extraordinary feats o f the Bodhisattvas: they can freely give anything
zhcv ha\'c to anyone w h o asks for it, including their heads, eyes, cars, noses,
bodies, hands, and feet. W o rld -H o n o red O ne, I otten think that if a Bodhisattva is
nor atraid or fainthearted even w hen forccd to give up all he has, external and
mtcT-nal. then he m ust be an inconceivablc, liberated B o dh isattv a.”
T he Buddha told Sariputra, “It is so, it i s so, just a s you say. N o Sravaka or
Pratyekabuddha can k n o w the state o f w isdom , ingenuity, and sam adhi in which
these Bodhisattvas dwell.
"Sariputra, these g reat Bodhisattvas, like Buddhas, can perform miraculous
feats to satisfy the desires o f sentient beings, while their minds rem ain u nm oved by
any dharma.
“If sentient beings arc fond o f the household life, haughty, and unrestrained,
these Bodhisattvas can appear as great laymen o f awesom e virtue to teach those
sentient beings the Dharm a, so that they m ay be b rought to maturity.
“ If sentient beings w ith great strength becom e arrogant, the Bodhisattvas
can appear in the form o f a gigantic Narayana and explain the D harm a to them , so
that they m ay be subdued.
, . “If sentient beings wish to seek nirvana, these Bodhisattvas can appear as
Sravakas and explain the D harm a to them , thereby liberating them.
“If sentient beings like to contem plate dependent origination, the B odhi­
sattvas can appear as Pratyekabuddhas\and explain the D harm a to those sentient
beings, thereby liberating them.
“If sentient beings wish to attain suprem e enlightenm ent, these Bodhisattvas
can appear as Buddhas and lead th em into the B uddha-w isdom , thereby liberating
them.
“Thus, Sariputra, these Bodhisattvas em ploy various skillful means to per­
fect sentient beings and causc them all to dwell securcly in the Buddha-D harm a.
W hy? Bccausc only the T a th ig a ta ’s w isdom can result in liberation and ultim ate
nirvana; there is no other vehiclc that can carry one to salvation. It is for this
reason that the Tathagata is callcd a Tathagata. Bccausc the Tathagata knows
thusness as it is, he is called a Tathagata [a T h u s-C o m e O n e ]. Bccausc he can do
anything that sentient beings wish, he is callcd a Tathagata. Bccausc he has pcr-
fcctcd the root o f all w holesom e dharm as and cut o ff the root o f all unw holesom e
dharmas, he is called a Tathagata. Bccausc he can show sentient beings the path to
liberation, he is callcd a Tathagata. Bccausc he can causc sentient beings to avoid
w ro n g paths and remain on the right path, he is called a Tathagata. Bccause he can
explain the true m eaning o f the emptiness o f all dharmas, he is callcd a Tathagata.
"Sariputra, a Bodhisattva know s the various aspirations o f sentient beings,
and by prcaching the D h arm a to th em accordingly, he liberates them. He reveals
true w isdom to ignorant people. H e can producc all kinds o f illusory splendors
w ithout affccting the dharm adhatu, and causc sentient beings to m ove gradually
tow ard the shore o f nirvana.
"Furtherm ore, Sariputra, a lay Bodhisattva w h o dwells in kindness and
 T he D e fin itiv e V in a y a 265

harmlcssncss should practicc tw o kinds o f giving. W hat arc the two? T he first is
the giving o f Dharma1; the second is the giving o f material possessions.
“A Bodhisattva w h o has left the household life should practicc four kinds o f
giving. W h at arc the four?
(1) T o give pens [with w hich to copy sutras);
(2) to give ink;
(3) to give scriptures; and
(4) to give instruction in the D harm a.
“A Bodhisattva w h o has achieved th e Realization o f the N onarising o f D h ar­
mas should always be ready to give in three ways. W hat arc the three? T o give his
throne; his wife and son; and his head, eyes, and limbs. T o give thus is great, m ost
w onderful g iving.”2
Sariputra asked the Buddha, “ W orld-H onored O ne, arc these Bodhisattvas
not afraid o f desire, hatred, and ignorance?”
T he Buddha answered, ''Sariputra, all Bodhisattvas should guard against
tw o breaches o f discipline. W hat arc the two? First, to break the discipline out of
hatred; second, to break the discipline out o f ignorancc. B oth are grave breaches.
''Sariputra, if a breach o f discipline is com m itted o u t o f desire, it is a fine,
subtle fault, but hard to eliminate; if out o f hatred, it is a gross, serious fault, but
easy to eliminate; if out o f ignorancc, it is a very grave, deep-seated fault and very-
hard to eliminate.
“W hy? Desire is the seed o f all kinds o f existcncc; it causes one to be
involved in saiiisara endlessly. For this reason, it is fine and subtle, but hard to
sever. O n e w h o breaks the prcccpts out o f hatred will f all to the miserable planes o f
cxistcncc, b u t m ay quickly get rid [of hatred]. O n e w h o breaks the prccepts o u t o f
ignorance will fall to th e eight great hells,3 and have great difficulty in being
released [from ignorancc].4
“Furthermore, Sariputra, if a Bodliisattva has com m itted a parajika,5 he should
earnestly and sincercly confcss his misdeed to ten pure m onks (bhiksus). If a B o ­
dhisattva has com m itted a samghavcsesa,6 he should earnestly confcss his misdeed
to five pure monks. If a Bodhisattva is affcctcd by a w o m a n ’s passion, or is attracted
to her because they have exchanged glances, he should earnestly confess his m is­
deed to one or tw o pure m onks.
''Sariputra, if a Bodhisattva has co m m itted one o f the five grave offenses, a
parajika, or a sariighavascsa; or has done harm to stiipas or m onks: or has co m ­
m itted som e other crime, lie should sinccrcly repent in solitude day and night
before the thirty-five Buddhas, saying:
“ ‘I ，so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharm a. and the Sarhgha.
N a m o 7 Sakyam uni Buddha; nam o Indcstructible D iam o nd Buddha; nam o Jewelled
Light Buddha; nam o N oble D rago n K ing Buddha; nam o V igorous Soldier B u d ­
dha; nam o Jo y o f V igor B uddha; nam o Precious Flam e B uddha; nam o Precious
M oonlight ^Buddha; nam o Manifesting N o Ignorance Buddha; nam o Precious M o o n
266 On V ir t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

Buddha; nam o Stainless Buddha; nam o Unsullied Buddha; nam o C ourageous G iv­
ing Buddha; nam o Pure Buddha; nam o Pure Giving Buddha; nam o Sa-Liu-Na8
Buddha; nam o W ater D eva Buddha; namo Firm Virtue Buddha; nam o Sandal­
w o od M erit Buddha; nam o Infinite Quantities o f Light Buddha^ nam o Brilliant
Virtue Buddha; nam o Confident Virtue Buddha; n a m o ^ aV ay an a Buddha; nam o
Flower o f M erit Buddha; nam o Perform ing Miracles w ith Lotus Light Buddha;
nam o Wealth and M erit Buddha; nam o Virtuous T h o u g h t Buddha; nam o G ood
R eputation and M erit Buddha; nam o K ing o f Red, Flaming Banner Buddha; nam o
R o am in g Well in M erits Buddha; nam o Battle-W inning Buddha; nam o G ood
W ayfarer Buddha; nam o Surrounded by Glorious M erits Buddha; nam o R oam ing
am ong Precious Flowers Buddha; nam o King Residing Well am o n g Precious L ot­
uses and Sala Trees Buddha.
“ ‘M ay all these and other Buddhas, W orld-H onored O nes o f all the uni­
verses, stay in the w orld forever. M ay they have compassion on me.
“ ‘I n o w repent all the transgressions w h ich I have com m itted by myself,
abetted others to com m it, or been glad to sec others com m it, in m y present life, in
m y past lives, and ever since m y involvem ent in beginninglcss saiiisara.
“ ‘I repent the crimes o f stealing from stupis, from monk's, or from the
com m o n possessions o f the Sarhgha in the four quarters— crimcs w hich I have co m ­
m itted by myself, abetted others to com m it, or been glad to see others com m it.
“ ‘I repent the five grave offenses w h ich I have com m itted by myself, abetted
others to comm it, or been glad to see others comm it.
“ ‘I repent the ten evil deeds which I have com m itted by myself, abetted
others to com m it, or been glad to see others com m it.
“ ‘I repent the crimes I have com m itted, w hich, w hether I hide th em or not,
will cause m e to fall to the miserable planes o f existence— the planes o f hell-
dwcllcrs, hungry ghosts, and animals— or cause me to be reborn in the frontiers; as
a lowly, inferior being; or in a land o f barbarians. M ay the Buddhas, the W orld-
H onored Ones, be m y witnesses and take care o f me.
“ ‘In the presence o f the Buddhas, the W orld-H onored Ones, I will further
say: if in m y present life or other lives I have planted any good roots, such as the
good roots o f giving, even giving only a handful o f food to an animal; o f keeping
the discipline; o f leading a pure life; o f helping sentient beings; and o f cultivating
enlightenm ent and the unexcelled w isdom — then, I will gather up all these good
roots, calculate them , measure them , and dedicate them to [the universal attain­
m ent of] suprem e enlightenment. I will m ake the same dedication as that m ade by
all the Buddhas o f the present, past, and future.

“ ‘All m y transgressions I n o w repent.

I rejoice in all others’ blessings,
A nd in the virtues o f Buddhas.
M ay I achievc the unexcelled w isdom .
 T h e D e f in it iv e V in a y a 267

The Buddhas o f the past, present, and future

Arc suprem e am ong all beings.
I n o w take refuge in and pay hom age to
T he Imm easurable Oceans o f Virtue.'

“Therefore, Sariputra, the Bodhisattva should first of all contemplate those

thirty-five Buddhas singlc-mindedly, then pay hom age to all Tathagatas, and thus
repent w ith a pure mind. If his transgressions have been purified, the Buddhas will
im m ediately appear before him.
“Furtherm ore, in order to deliver sentient beings, Bodhisattvas will, w ith o u t
affccting the dharm adhatu, manifest themselves in different form s to fulfil the
various wishes of sentient beings, thereby liberating them.
"Sariputra, if a Bodhisattva enters the Samadhi o f Cireat Compassion, he can
appear in the realms o f hells, animals, or Y ama to bring sentient beings to m atur­
ity. If he enters the Samadhi o f Great Magnificcnce, he can appear as an elder to
bring sentient beings to maturity. If he enters the Samadhi o f Supremacy, he can
appear as a universal m onarch to bring sentient beings to maturity. If he enters the
Samadhi o f A w esom e Effulgcncc, he can appear in the w onderful form o f a sakra
or a brahm a to bring sentient beings to maturity. If he enters the Samadhi o f O ne
Direction, he can appear as a Sravaka to bring sentient beings to maturity. If he
enters the Samadhi o f Purity, he can appear as a Pratyekabuddha to bring sentient
beings to m aturity. If he enters the Samadhi o f Tranquaillity, he can appear as a
Buddha to bring sentient beings to maturity. If he enters the Samadhi of the Free
C o m m a n d o f All Dharm as, he can manifest all kinds o f forms as he wishes to
bring sentient beings to maturity.
“A Bodhisattva m ay appear as a sakra, a brahma, or a universal m o n arch in
order to bring sentient beings to maturity, but he does not affcct the dharm adhatu
in doing so. W hy? Becausc although he appears in all form s to com ply w ith |the
desires of] sentient beings, he sees no bodily form and no sentient being, for both
arc inapprehensible.
"Sariputra, w h at do you think? Can a small jackal roar like a lion?”
Sariputra answered, “N o , W orld-honored O n e .”
“C an a donkey bear the same heavy burden borne by a large elephant?， ’
“N o , W orld-H onored O n e .”
“C an a poor, hum ble person be as awe-inspiring and free as a sakra o r a
brahm a?”
“N o ，W o rld-H onored O n e .”
“C an any small bird soar like a powerful, golden-w inged garuda, the king o f
birds?”
“N o , W orld-H onored O n e .”
The B uddha said, “Similarly, Sariputra, by their w isdom of renunciation,
Bodhisattvas w h o have good roots and courage can purify their transgressions, be
268 On V ir t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

free ot' w o rry and remorse, and thereby see Buddhas and achieve samadhis. H o w -
cw t - ordinary people, Sravakas, and Pratyekabuddhas cannot rid themselves o f the
hindrances caused by their transgressions.
"If a Bodhisattva repeats the names o f those Buddhas and docs the three
things m entioned above9 day and night, he can eradicate his offenses, be free from
w orrv and remorse, and achieve sam adhis.”
A t that time, Upali em erged from concentration and w en t to see the B ud-
dhd. After b o w in g w ith his head at the B u d d h a’s feet and circum am bulating the
B uddha three times to his right, he stood to one side and said to him, "W orld-
H onored O ne, as I was sitting alone in a quiet placc meditating, I thought, ‘W hen
the W orld -H o n o red O ne was explaining the Pratimoksa— the pure d is c i p l i n e t o
Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas, he said, “ You should rather give up
your body and life than break the prcccpts.， ，’ W orld-H onored One, w hat should
be the Pratimoksa o f Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, and w hat should be the
Pratimoksa o f Bodhisattvas, while the B uddha stays in the w orld and after he
enters parinirvana? T he W orld-H onored O ne says I am forem ost in preccpt-
kccping. H o w should I understand the subtle m eaning o f the Vinaya? If I person­
ally hear it from the Buddha and acccpt and practice it until I achieve fearlessness,
then I can extensively explain it to others. N o w that the Bodhisattvas and m onks
from all places have gathered here, m ay the Buddha discourse extensively on the
definitive Vinaya to resolve our d o u b ts.”
T hereupon, the W orld-H onored O ne told Upali, "N o w , Upali, you should
k now that the pure prcccpts observed by Bodhisattvas and those observed by
Sravakas are different b o th in aim and in practice. Upali, a pure precept observed
by Sravakas m ay be a great brcach o f discipline for Bodhisattvas. A pure precept
observed by Bodhisattvas m ay be a great brcach o f discipline for Sravakas.
“W hat is a pure prccept for Sravakas but a great brcach o f discipline for
Bodhisattvas? For example, Upali, not to engender a single th o u g h t of taking
further rebirth is a pure precept for Sravakas b u t a great brcach o f discipline for
Bodhisattvas. What is a pure precept for Bodhisattvas but a great brcach of dis­
cipline for Sravakas? For example, to follow the Mahayana doctrine and to tolerate
rebirths, w ith o u t abhorrence, for an incalculable n u m b er o f kalpas is a pure precept
for Bodhisattvas but a great breach o f discipline for Sravakas.
“ For this reason, the B uddha tcachcs Bodhisattvas precepts w hich need not
be strictly and literally observed, but teaches Sravakas preccpts w hich m u st be
srrictly and literally observed; he tcachcs Bodhisattvas prcccpts w h ich are at once
permissive and prohibitive,10 but teaches Sravakas prcccpts w hich are only prohibi­
tive; he tcaches Bodhisattvas precepts w hich are for the depth o f the mind, but
tcaches Sravakas precepts w hich guide them step by step.11
“W hy do the Bodhisattvas，prccepts n o t need to b e strictly and literally
o b m v c d while those for Sravakas m ust be strictly and literally observed? W hen
keeping the pure precepts, Bodhisattvas should com ply w ith sentient beings, but
Sravakas should not; therefore, the Bodhisattvas1 prcccpts need n o t be strictly and
 T he D e fin itiv e V in a y a 269

literally observed while those for Sravakas must be strictly and literally observed.
“W h y do Bodhisattvas keep preccpts w hich arc at once permissive and p ro ­
hibitive, w hile Sravakas keep prccepts w hich arc only prohibitive?
“If a Bodhisattva w h o has resolved to practice the M ahayana breaks a pre-
ccpt in the m orning but does n o t abandon his determ ination to seek all-know ing
w isdom at m idday, his discipline-body12 remains undestroyed. If he breaks a pre­
cept at m idday b u t does not abandon his determ ination to seek all-know ing w isdom
in the afternoon, his discipline-body rem ains undestroyed. If he breaks a precept in
the afternoon b u t docs n o t abandon his determ ination to seek all-know ing w isdom
in the evening, his discipline-body rem ains undestroyed. If he breaks a precept in
the evening but docs n o t ab andon his determ ination to seek all-know ing w isd o m
at m idnight, his discipline-body rem ains undestroyed. If he breaks a precept at
m idnight b u t does n o t abandon his determ ination to seek all-know ing w isdom
before daw n, his discipline-body rem ains undestroyed. If he breaks a precept be­
fore daw n but docs not abandon his determ ination to seek all-know ing w isdom in
the m orning, his discipline-body remains undestroyed.
“For this reason, people w ho follow the Bodhisattva-vehicle keep precepts
w hich arc both permissive and prohibitive. If they violate any precept, they should
n o t becom c dism ayed and afflict them selves w ith unnecessary grief and remorse.
“ H ow ever, if a Sravaka breaks any precept, he destroys his pure discipline.
W hy? Because Sravakas, to eradicate their defilements, m ust keep the precepts
w ith such intensity as if they were saving their heads from fire. T hey aspire
to nirvana only. For this reason, they keep precepts w hich are prohibitive only.
“Furtherm ore, Upali, w h y do Bodhisattvas keep precepts for the depth o f
the m ind, while Sravakas keep preccpts w hich guide them step by step?
“E ven if Bodhisattvas enjoy the five sensuous pleasures w ith unrestricted
freedom for kalpas as numerous as the sands o f the Ganges, as long as they do not
give up their bodhicitta, they are said n o t to break the precepts. Why? Because
Bodhisattvas arc skilled in protecting their bodhicitta, and dw ell securely in it; they
are n o t afflictcd by any passions, even in dreams. Further, they should gradually
roo t o u t their defilements instead o f exterm inating them all in one lifetime.
“In contrast, Sravakas ripen their roots o f virtue as hurriedly as if they were
saving their heads from fire. T h ey do n o t like to entertain even one th o u gh t o f
taking further rebirth.
“For this reason, followers o f the M ahayana keep precepts for the depth of
the mind, prcccpts w hich are both permissive and prohibitive and w hich need not
be strictly and literally observed; while Sravakas keep precepts w hich guide them
step by step, w hich are prohibitive only, and w hich m ust be strictly and literally
observed.
tlUpali, it is very hard for those w h o pursue the M ahayana to attain suprem e
enlightenm ent; they cannot achieve it unless they are equipped w ith great, m agnif­
icent [virtues]. Therefore, Bodhisattvas never feel abhorrence even if they are
constantly involved in samsara for an incalculable n u m b er o f kalpas. This is w h y
270 O n V i r t u e a n d D is c ip lin e

the Tathagata. through his observation, finds that he should not always teach the
doctrinc of renunciation to followers of the M ahayana, nor should he always teach
them the w iv to realize nirvana quickly. Instead, they should be taught the pro-
four;d. w ondcrtul, undcfiled doctrine w hich is in unison w ith kindness and joy, the
doctrine of detachment and freedom from grief and remorse, the doctrinc of
unhindered emptiness, so that after hearing it, the Bodhisattvas will n o t tire of
being involved in sarhsara and will attain supreme enlightenm ent w ithout fail.”
Then U pali asked the Buddha, “W orld-H onored One, suppose a B odhi­
sattva breaks a precept out o f desire; another does so out o f hatred; and still another
docs so o u t o f ignorance. W orld-H onored One, w hich one o f the three offenses is
the m ost serious?”
T he W o rld-H onored O n e answered Upali. “If, w hile practicing the M ah a­
yana, a Bodhisattva continues to break preccpts out o f desire for kalpas as n u m e r­
ous as the sands o f the Ganges, his otfense is still minor. If a Bodhisattva breaks
precepts out o f hatred', even ju st once, his offense is v ery serious. W hy? Bccausc a
Bodhisattva w h o breaks precepts out of desire [still] holds sentient beings in his
embrace, whereas a Bodhisattva w h o breaks precepts out o f hatred forsakes sen­
tient beings altogether.
4tUpali, a Bodhisattva should not be afraid o f the passions w hich can help
him hold sentient beings in his embrace, but he should fear the passions w hich can
cause him to forsake sentient beings.
“ Upali, as the B uddha has said, desire is hard to give up, but is a subtle fault;
hatred is easy to give up, but is a serious fault; ignorancc is difficult to give up, and
is a very serious fault.
4tUpali, w h e n involved in defilements, Bodhisattvas should tolerate the small
transgressions w h ich are hard to avoid, but should n o t tolerate the grave transgres­
sions w hich are easy to avoid, not even in a dream. For this reason, if a follower of
the M ahayana breaks precepts out o f desire, I say he is not a transgressor; but if he
breaks precepts o u t o f hatred, it is a grave offense, a gross fault, a serious, degener­
ate act, w hich causes trem endous hindrances to the Buddha-D harm a.
4tUpali, if a Bodhisattva is n o t thorou g h ly conversant w ith the Vinaya, he
will be afraid w hen he transgresses out o f desire, but will n o t be afraid w h en he
transgresses out o f hatred. If a Bodhisattva is thoroughly conversant w ith the
Vinaya, he will not be afraid w hen he transgresses out o f desire, but will be afraid
w h en he transgresses out o f h a t r e d .
Then, from am o n g the assembly, Manjusri, Prince o f the D harm a, asked the
Buddha, “ W orld-H onored One, all dharmas are ultimately Vinay^. W hy are reg­
ulations necessary?”
T h e B uddha answered Manjusri, “If ordinary people knew that all dharmas
are ultim ately Vinaya, the Tathagata w ould n o t teach th em the regulations, but
because they do n o t k no w that, the Tathagata gradually teaches th em the rules to
enlighten th e m .”
Upali said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored One, the Tathagata has dis­
 T h e D e f in it iv e V in a y a 271

coursed on the definitive Vinaya, b u t M anjusri has n o t said anything on this

subjcct. M ay the W orld-H onored O n e com m and M anjusri to explain it breifly.”
T he B uddha told Manjusri, “N o w you should expound the subtle meaning
o f the Ultimate Vinaya. Upali will be happy to hear it.”
Manjusri, the D harm a Princc, said to Upali, “All dharmas are ultimately
quiescent w hen the m ind is quicsccnt, this is called the Ultim ate Vinaya.
“N o dharm a is found to have a self-entity w hen the m ind is n o t defiled or
attached; this is callcd the Vinaya o f N o Regret.
“All dharm as are pure by nature w hen the m ind is not confused [by w rong
views]; this is callcd the Supreme Vinaya.
“All dharm as are suchness itself w hen the m ind is devoid o f all views; this is
called the Pure Vinaya.
“N o dharm a comes or goes w h en the m ind does not discriminate; this is
callcd the Inconccivablc Vinaya.
“N o dharm a abides or clings w hen the m ind ceascs from m o m en t to m o ­
ment; this is callcd the Vinaya o f the Purification o f the Planes o f Existence.
“All dharmas abide in emptiness w h en the mind is free o f all signs; this is
callcd the V inaya o f Intrinsic Transccndcnce.
“D harm as have no past, present, or future, for they arc inapprehensible; this
is called the Vinaya of the Equality of the Three Phases of Time.
“N o dharm a can be established w hen the m ind is free from discrimination;13
this is called th e Vinaya o f the Perm anent Resolution o f Doubt.
“Upali, this is the U ltim ate Vinaya o f the dharm adhatu, by w h ich Buddhas,
W o rld-H onored O nes, have attained B uddhahood. A good m an w h o does not
observe this well is far from keeping the pure prcccpts o f the Tathagata. ^
T hereupon, Upali said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, the doctrines
M anjusri expounds are inconccivablc•， ’
T he W orld-H onored O ne told Upali, "M anjusri expounds the D harm a on
the basis o f inconccivablc, unimpeded liberation. For this reason, w hatever doc­
trine he preaches enables one to be free from mental forms, w hich is the liberation
o f mind. H e causes the arrogant to give up their arrogance.”
Upali asked the Buddha, "W hat constitutes the arrogancc o f a Sravaka or a
Bodhisattva?”
T he B uddha replied to Upali, “If a m onk thinks he has cradicatcd desire, he
is arrogant. If he thinks he has eradicated hatred and ignorance, he is arrogant. If
he thinks that desire is different from the D h arm a o f Buddhas, he is arrogant. If he
thinks that hatred is different from the D harm a of Buddhas, he is arrogant. If he
thinks that ignorance is different from the D harm a o f Buddhas, he is arrogant.14 If
he claims to have gained something, he is arrogant. If he claims to have realized
something, he is arrogant. If he claims to have attained liberation, he is arrogant.
If he claims to perceive emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, he is also ar­
rogant. If he claims to perceivc nonarising and nonaction, he is arrogant. If he
claims to perceivc the existence o f dharmas, he is arrogant. If he claims to per-
272 O n V irtue and D iscipline
ccivc chc impcrmancnce o f dh am us, he is arrogant. I f he s^ys, ‘ What is the use
o f practicc, sincc all dharmas arc empty?* he is also arrogant. Upafi, these con-
sticuic the arrogancc o f a Sravaka.
“ W hat constitutes ihc arrogancc o f a Bodhisattva? I f 2 Bodhisattva thinks he
should resolve to seek all-knowing wisdom , he is arrogani. It* he thinks he should
practicc the six paramitas, he is arrogant. If he says, 'O n ly the paramita o f wisdom
can be depended upon to achicvc liberation; there is no other w a y out (o f the three
realm s]/ then he is arroganc. If he says one d o a rin c is very profound and another
is not, he is ag^in Arroganc. I f he says one doctrine is pure and another is not, then
he is arrogant. I f he says, 'T h is is the doctrine o f Buddhas; this is the d o a rin c o f
Pratyekabuddhas; this is the doctrinc o f Sravakas/ he is al$o arrogant. If he says,
•This should be done and that should n o t/ he is arrogant. If he says* *This doctrinc
is profound m d that is n o t/ he is arrogatu. I f he says one doctrinc is elose |to
cnligh(cnmcnt| and another is not. he is arrogant- If he says, 4This is a right path
and that is a w rong o n e / he is arrogant. I f he asks， *Can I attain supreme en­
lightenment quickly or not?' he is arrogant. If he says, ‘ All dharnus arc inconcciv­
ablc and only I can understand them ,' then he is arrogant. I f he chinks o f (he
inconccivablc supreme enlightenment and becomes greatly atuchcd to it, then he is
arrogant. These constitute the arrogancc o f a Bodhisattva.w
Upali asked the Buddha, MW orld-Honored One, how can a m onk be free
from arrogancc?”
The Buddha answered Upali, “If he is not accachcd to any doctrinc, no
matter h ow inconccivablc it is, he is com pJcicly free from arrogancc.”
Then, to explain chc teaching further, the W orld-Honored O ne spoke in
verse:

**AU play-w ords arise from the mind;

N o discrimination should be nude
Between what is dharma and what is not.
He w h o sees the dharma inconccivablc
Will alw ays dwell happily in the world.

Being deluded, ordinary men

A r c turned b y their ow n minds;
For kalpas, they circlc and circic
In the various realms o f samsara.
It is truly inconccivablc
T o know chat the nature o f dharmas
Is 110 nature.

If i monk s u y s mindful o f the Buddlu&t

His thought is not proper
A n d his mindfulness not right;15
 T hh D e f in it iv e V in a y a

Vainly m aking distinctions about Buddhas,

H e sees no tru th whatsoever.
O n e w h o thinks about the teaching o f emptiness
Is a fool, lingering on the w ro n g path;
Explanations o f emptiness are m ere words;
B o th w ords and emptiness are inapprehensible.
O n e w h o contemplates the teaching o f quicsccnce
Should k n o w the m ind is em pty and unborn.
T he m in d ’s reflections and observations
Arc all futile and meaningless.
T o have no th ought [and m ake no distinctions]
Is to see all dharmas,
For all dharm as are apart from thought,
A nd all thoughts and ideas are em pty.
O n e w h o enjoys contem plation on emptiness
Should transcend even the state w ithout thought.
D harm as，like grasses and trees, have no awareness;
A part from the m ind they are inapprehensible.
Sentient beings are devoid o f self-entity;
So are all dharmas.
T he eye can see w hile there is sunlight,
B u t it sees n o ught w hen night falls.
If the eye could see by itself,
W hy should it rely on conditions to act?
It is entirely due to various lights
T h at the eye can see all colors.
Since sight depends on conditions,
It is obvious that by itself the cyti cannot see.
A pleasant sound vanishes as soon as it is heard;
O n e knows not w here it goes.
It is due to discrim ination'
T h at the concept o f sound arises.
All dharm as arc but the sounds o f w ords,
A nd the w ords are merely arbitrary fabrications.
N o t k now ing that these sounds
Are neither dharm as n o r nondharm as,
O rdinary persons vainly cling to them.
r~-/ J 's
1丨praise )giving, for the sake o f the w orld,
B ut giving is intrinsically em pty.
O n V ir t u e and D isc ipl in e

I teach, th ough there is nothing to teach;

Inconceivable indeed is the Buddha-D harm a!
I often praise the observance o f pure precepts,
But no being ever breaks any precepts.
Preccpt-breaking is em pty by nature,
A nd so is precept-keeping.
I say it is superb to be patient,
But patience is apart from views
A nd by nature does not arise.
T here is really n othing to cause anger—
T o realize this is called supreme patience.
I say it is unexcelled
T o w o rk vigorously day and night,
A nd to remain alert even in sleep.
Yet, even if one has practiced [vigor]
Diligently for kalpas,
His efforts do not increase or decrease anything.
I teach meditation, liberation, and samadhis
T o show the w orld the d oor to truth;
Yet, the D harm a-nature is never stirred from the beginning,
A nd m editation o f all kinds is fabricated
M erely to com ply [with sentient beings].
That w hich observes and com prehends is called wisdom ;
O ne w h o understands all dharmas is called wise.
Yet, dharm as by nature do not exist,
A nd there is no one w h o observes or comprehends.
I often praise austere practices
A nd extol those w h o delight
In such ways to tranquillity—
B u t only those who k now
T hat all dharmas are inapprehensible
M ay really be called pure, contented ones.
I describe the sufferings in the hells,
So that countless people m ay abhor
Falling to the terrible realms after death;
But, in reality, there are no such miserable places.
N o one can produce therein
Knives, cudgels, or similar means o f torture;
It is discrimination that causes one to see them
A nd to suffer im measurable tortures put to him.
 T h e D efin it iv e V in a y a

Gardens covered w ith various lovely flowers

A nd palaces sparkling w ith num erous jewels—
These things [of heaven] are created by no one;
T hey all arise from the discriminating, delusive mind.
T he w orld is deceived by fictitious dharmas
W hich confuse one w ho is attached to them .
H o w e ve r one discriminates am ong mirages,
W hether acccpting or rejecting them ,
T hey arc em p ty ju s t the same.
I say it is suprem e to benefit the worlds
B y resolving to pursue enlightenment;
But, in truth, enlightenm ent is inapprehensible,
A nd there is no one w h o resolves to attain it.
T h e m ind by nature is ever pure and bright;
Unsullied by falsehood or passion, it is true.
O rd in ary persons discriminate
A nd engender attachment;
Yet, from the beginning,
T heir defilements arc em pty.
All dharmas are always quiescent in their sclf-naturc—
H o w can there be desire, hatred, or ignorance?
O n e w h o secs n ow here
T o generate desire or renounce passion,
Is said to have attained nirvana.
Bccausc o n e ’s m in d is never [truly] defiled,
O ne is able to achievc great enlightenment.
Striving for various D harm a practices
For countless kalpas,
I have delivered m yriad sentient beings,
Y et sentient beings themselves arc inapprehensible;
In reality no beings are ever delivered.
If a great magician produces
A magic crow d o f a billion beings,
A nd then destroys them again,
N o harm or good is ever done
T o these magic creaturcs.
All beings are illusory, like magic;
N o borders or limits can be found.
O n e w h o k n o w s this abscnce o f limits
Will never tire o f living in the world.
276 On V ir t u e a n d D iscip lin e

T o one w h o know s the reality o f all things,

Constant involvem ent in samsara is nirvana;16
A m idst desires, he is not defiled;
It is only to subdue sentient beings
T h at he speaks o f the renunciation o f desires.
T he M o st Com passionate O n e benefits all beings,
B ut there is actually no person or life.
T o benefit sentient beings yet see them not—
This is difficult indeed, a great wonder.
O ne m ay solacc a child w ith an em p ty fist,
Saying it contains som ething for him,
T h o u g h the child m ay cry again
W hen the hand opens and reveals nothing.
Likewise, the inconccivable Buddhas
Subdue sentient beings skillfully.
W hile they k n o w dharm a-naturc is empty,
T h ey fabricate names for the w o rld ’s sake.
W ith great kindness and compassion th ey urge you:
4In m y D harm a is supreme happiness.
Leave y our households
A nd abandon your loved ones!
You will then attain the superb fruit
Sought by a sram ana.5
After one leaves the household life
And practiccs the D harm a in earnest,
H e attains nirvana at last th rough his practicc.
H e then reflects at length
U pon the truth o f all dharmas.
T o his w onder, he discovers
T h at no fruit w hatsoever is there to attain.
N o fruit, and yet realization is achieved!
[Awcstruck, ] he begins to marvel:
‘H o w w onderful it is
T h at the M o st Com passionate Lion o f M en
Is so skillful in teaching the D harm a
In compliance w ith reality!
All dharmas are like em pty spacc,
B ut he establishes num erous names, w ords, and doctrines.
H e speaks o f m editation and liberation;
He speaks o f roots, powers, and enlightenment;
 T he D e fin it iv e V in a y a 277

But, from the beginning,

These roots and powers do not arise,
N o r do meditation and enlightenm ent exist.
Formless, shapeless, and ungraspablc, these things
Are only skillful means to illuminate living beings•’
When I speak o f the practicc that leads to realization,
I m ean detachm ent from all forms.
If one claims to have achieved anything,
H e is far from realizing the sramana's fruit.
N o d h arm a has a self-entity;
W hat is there to realize?
T h e so-called realization is no attainm ent at all:
T o understand this is called attainment.
Those w h o have obtained the fruit
Are said to be superior,
B u t I say all beings are unborn from the beginning.
Since there is no sentient being in the first place,
H o w can there be anyone achieving the fruit?
If no seed is sow n,
H o w can any sp rou t com e forth,
Even from a fertile field?
W hcnce can realization comc
If there is no sentient being?
All beings are by nature quicscent,
A n d no one can find their origin.
O n e w h o understands this doctrinc
Will be in parinirvana forever.
O f the countlcss Buddhas in the past,
N o n e could deliver sentient beings.
If sentient beings w ere truly existent,
N o one could have achieved nirvana.
All dharm as are quicsccnt and empty;
N ever has a dharm a arisen.
H e w h o can see all dharm as in this w ay
Has already transcended the three realms.
This is the unhindered enlightenm ent o f Buddhas—
Yet, ultimately, nothing exists therein.
If one know s this doctrinc,
I say he is free from desires.”
278 O n V irtue a n d D iscipline
When the W orld-Honored One nnished spciking in verse, tw o hundred
arrogant m onks ended their deHlcments permanently and became liberated in mind;
and sixty thousand Bodhisattvas attained the Realization o f the Nonarising o f
Dharmas.
Then Upali asked the Buddha. **What should this sutra be callcd? H ow shall
w c uphold it?"
The Buddha told U p ili, “This sutra is callcd *Thc Definitive Vinaya•’ or
*Thc Elim inition o f chc Mind and Consciousness.* You should acccpt and uphold
it by these nam es.”
When the Buddha had uughc this sutTa, chc venerable Upali, the monks,
Manjusri, the great Bodhisattvas, humans, gods ，asuras. and so forth were ex­
ceedingly joyfu] over the Buddha's (caching. They acccptcd it with faith and began
Co pncticc it with venendon.

NOTES

1. For brevity, we have omitted several declarations in this section. Omiisions ire
indicated by ellipses.
2. This passage is rdev^nK io (he questions conccrning ihc Bodhisjttvjs* practiccs of
extreme chanty, such as the giving of one's eyes, limbs, kingdom, etc., mentioned in many
Buddhist texts. Here, it is succd that only those Bodhisattvas who hjvc attained the Realize
cion of the Nonarising of Dharmas arc able to practicc extreme ciurity; for other people, this
practicc may $crvc no purpose ind even harm chcmsdvcs and others.
3. The eight great hdls arc:
⑴ the Reviving Hell, where after gr»( sufTcrmg. ihc o(Tender is cooled by a wind
and revives, only to be tortured again;
(2) the Black Rope Hell, where the suiTcrcr is bound with bbek cluins and choppcd
or sawed asunder
(3) the Converging Hell, where many implements of torture converge upon one;
w the Witling Hell;
(5) the Great Wailing Hell;
(6) the Scorching Hcli;
C7) the Grcit Scorching HdJ; ind
(8) the Uninterrupted Hell, where sufTcring is continuous.
4. The soundness of ennsuting H as 'ignorance' here may be seriously questioned*
Ignorincc o f the basic (ruth or n o -«lf {artdtman) or emptiness causcs one to wander m uihsira.
including both heaven and bell. However, ignonncc (Skt av i4y £ ) alone cannot be ihc cause
o f falling to a hcIJ. To be ignorant o f i ccrtain truth or hw (or simply to Jack knowledge of i
ccmin branch o f scicncc) cannoc be considered a great offeme againsc moral principles,
causing one to fall co i hdl. Here M probably implies serious wrong views, such as nihilism
(u c th td a v a d a ) and so forth. Although 1wrong view* is a much better (ranslation here, (o
 T he D e f in itiv e V in a y a 279

com ply w ith the established form ula and sequcncc, w e are forccd to translate 痴 as ignorance.
T h e readers arc rem inded that ‘ignorancc’ here does not m ean ‘lack o f know ledge', but rather
•wrong views，on fundam ental moral and religious principles. (G.C.)
5. Parajika is the m ost serious type o f offense for monastics. For m onks, there are four
(listed in the N um erical Glossary as the “four heavy transgressions''): sexual intercourse,
stealing, manslaughter, and lying.
6. A saiiighavasesa is an offense sccond in gravity to a parajika. If a m o n k does not
purify the offense th ro u g h repentancc and confession, he m ay be expelled.
7. I\Tamo is derived from the Sanskrit tiam, m eaning 'b o w to ’ or "pay h om age t o ’.
8. T h e Chinese reads 契 留 那 , but the m eaning and original Sanskrit are u n k n o w n to
the translators.
9. T h e three are: contem plation o f the thirty-five Buddhas, paying hom age to all
Tathagatas, and repenting w ith a pure mind.
10. T h e B odhisattva precepts prohibit unw holesom e actions, but they perm it those
actions in certain circumstances. In Yo^acarya-Bhumi-Sdstra, attributed to Maitrcya, w c find
tiic follow ing passage (Taisho 1501, p. 1112):

T hose Bodhisattvas w h o observe the pure Bodhisattva precepts well may, as

a skillful means to benefit others, c om m it som e m ajor misdeeds. In doing so, they
do not violate the Bodhisattva precepts; instead, they generate m any merits.
For exam ple, suppose a Bodhisattva sees that a vicious robber intends to kill
m any people for the sake o f wealth; or intends to harm virtuous Sravakas, Pratyeka­
buddhas, or Bodhisattvas; or intends to do other things that will causc him to fall to
the U ninterru p ted Hell. W h en seeing this, the Bodhisattva will think, “ If I kill that
person, I will fall to the hells; if I do not kill him, he will com m it crim es w h ic h will
lead him to the U ninterrupted Hell, w here he will suffer greatly. I w o uld rather kill
him and fall to the hells m yself than let him u n d e rg o great suffering in the U n ­
interrupted H e 】 】.”
T hen, deeply regretting the necessity for this action, and w ith a heart full o f
com passion, h e will kill that person. In doing this, he does not violate the B odhi­
sattva prccepts; instead, he generates m any merits.

11. T h e literal translation reads: “but teachcs Sravakas the gradual prcccpts.'' This
appears to contradict the text below, w here it is stated that the H inayana followers are in a
great hurry to exterm inate all their defilements in one litctimc. It may m ean that the B odhi­
sattvas' prccepts pertain dircctly to the m ind, while the Sravakas' precepts m ostly regulate
outer actions, leading step by step to mental wholesomcncss.
12. A ccording to certain H inayana schools, such as the Sarvastivadins. w hen one
obtains the bhiksu prccepts in formal ordination, he acquires a udiscip lin e-b o d \.' This body,
th o u g h invisible to ordinary people, is said to be visible to those w ith the dcva-cye. T he term
may also be interpreted to m ean simply one's o w n discipline.
13. Literally, “is equal.”
14. Clearly, the B uddha i s speaking n o w on a higher level than his earlier discourse on
precepts.
15. Even the concepts o f 'Buddha' and ‘B u d d h a h o o d ’ are em pty, and m ust be re­
linquished if one is to attain full enlightenm ent.
16. An im p ortant M ahayana concept o f nirvana, radically different from H inayana
doctrines. See Glossary, "nirvana.
 16 寶梁聚會

Abiding in Good and Noble Deportment

Thus have I heard. Oncc the B uddha was dwelling on M o u n t Cirdhrakuta near the
city of Rajagrha, accompanied by eight thousand great m onks. A t that time, six­
teen thousand Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas w h o did not regress from pursuit of su­
prem e enlightenment, and w h o w ere destined to becom e Buddhas in their next life­
times, came from different Buddha-lands in the ten directions to join the assembly.
T h a t day, M ahakasyapa asked the Buddha, "T he W orld-H onored O n e speaks
o f sramanas. W hat is a sramana?"
T h e B uddha replied to Kasyapa, “A sramana is one w ho can:
attain ultim ate quiescence;
keep him self under control;
accept the teachings;
observe the pure precepts;
enter dhyanas;
acquirc wisdom ;
strive for liberation by understanding the meaning o f reality;
have no doubts about the three doors to liberation;
abide securely in the practiccs o f saints;
skillfully cultivate the four mindfulnesses;1
avoid all unw holesom e dharmas;
sccurely dwell in the four right efforts;
adeptly cultivate the four bases o f miraculous powers;

Sutra 44, Taisho 310, pp. 638-648; translated into Chinese by Yen. T ao Rung.
 A b id in g in G ood and N oble D eportment 281
achieve the five roots— to have firm faith in the Buddha, the D harm a, and
the Samgha; not to believe in any doctrine other than the Buddha-
D harm a; to strive to eradicate all defilements,2 avoiding all unw hole­
some dharmas but cultivating all w holesom e ones in accordancc w ith
the truth; to k n o w thoroughly the skillful means to acquire right
know ledge and right mindfulness, keeping w holesom e dharm as in
m ind exclusively; and to k n o w well the skillful means to attain dhyana
and w isdom ;
achieve the five pow ers so that he is not disturbed by any afflictions;
cultivate well the seven factors o f enlightenm ent [so that| he thoroughly
know s the skillful means to perceive the causcs and conditions o f all
dharmas;
k n o w well the skillful means to follow the [eightfold] noble path, which
includes right view and right concentration;
obtain the pow er o f the four kinds o f [unhindered] eloquence;
disbelieve in heterodox doctrines;
rely on the m eaning [of the D harm a] rather than w ords, on [intuitive]
w isd o m rather than intellect, on the sutras which convcy the ultimate
truth rather than the sutras w hich do not, and on the D harm a rather
than the person [teaching it];-3
be apart from the four demons;
thorou g h ly understand the five aggregates;
u p ro o t all afflictions;
reach the last lifetime [before nirvana];
shun the w ays leading to sariisara;
be free from all craving;
persevere in com prehending suffering, stopping the arising o f suffering,
realizing the cessation o f suffering, and cultivating the path leading to
the cessation o f suffering, thus perceiving clearly the four noble truths;
rcjcct all heterodox doctrincs after taking refuge in the Buddha-D harm a;
accomplish w h at he set out to accomplish;
eliminate all defilements;
cultivate the eightfold liberation;
be praised by sakras and brahmas;
from the beginning devote him self to the practice o f the path;
delight in living in a secluded forest;
establish himself securely in the noble Dharma;
rcjoicc in Buddhist rites;
be mentally undisturbed;
avoid elose associations, either w ith m onks and nuns or w ith laypcoplc;
enjoy being alone, like the single horn o f a rhinoceros;
be afraid o f bustling crowds;
enjoy living by himself;
282 O n V ir t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

always fear the three realms;

achicvc the tru e fruit o f a sramaiia;
have no longing for anything;
shun the eight w orldly dharm as4— gain, loss, praise, blame, fame, ridicule,
pleasure, and pain;
be as steadfast and im m ovable in m ind as the great earth;
guard against any conflict o f will between him self and others;
be serene;
cultivate right practiccs;
achievc a m entality [as pure] as space; and
have a m ind w hich is not tainted by or attached to form s and appearances,
ju st as a hand m oving in em pty spacc is not hindered by anything.
Kasyapa, if a person can accomplish these, he really is a sra m a n a /5
T h en M ahakasyapa said to the Buddha, "W orld-H onored O ne, the Tatha-
gata’s skillful discourse on the m eritorious deeds o f a sramaiia is extraordinary.
W orld -H o no red O ne, if sramanas in future ages falsely claim to be true sramanas
or to practicc pure conduct, th en they have trespassed on the suprem e enlighten­
m en t cultivated and perfected by the Tathagata for countless kalpas.”
T h e B uddha said to Kasyapa, “T h e offense o f trespassing o n the supreme
enlightenm ent o f the Tathagata is so m onstrous that no one could ever finish
describing it. Kasyapa, after I enter nirvana, you and m y other great disciples will
also enter nirvana, and the great Bodhisattvas o f this w o rld will go to other
Buddha-lands. A t that time, in m y order, there will be deceitful m onks (bhiksus)
who will do everything with crooked minds. Kasyapa, now I am going to explain
the corruption o f a sramana; that is, the faults and transgressions o f a sramaiia.
tlKasyapa, in the com ing Last Era, there will be m onks w h o will n ot culti­
vate m orality or discipline, n o r will they cultivate their m inds or wisdom . T h ey
will be as ignorant as children; they will m ove tow ard darkness unaware. Because
they will n o t subdue their minds, they will be corrupt sramanas. Kasyapa, w h at is
th e corruption o f a sramana?
44Kasyapa, the corruption o f a sramana is o f thirty-tw o kinds. O n e w h o has
renounced the household life should keep them all at a distance. W hat are the
thirty-tw o?
⑴ T o feel desire;
(2) to feel hatred;
(3) to feel annoyance;
(4) to praise oneself,
(5) to defame others;
6
( ) to seek material gains;
(7) to seek profit for its o w n sake;
8
( ) to spoil others’ blessings resulting from almsgiving;5
 A b id in g in G ood and N oble D eportm ent 283

(
to conceal o n e ’s o w n misdeeds;
1 1 1 1

to be intim ate w ith lay people;

/I V /
w

to be intim ate w ith m onks or nuns;

IV /

to take pleasure in noisy crowds;

IV /
9 1 1句

to seek by devious means material gains not belonging to oneself;

IV /
^

to long for the material gains of others;

IV /
1 1 1 1 2⑷

n o t to be content w ith one’s o w n material possessions;

IV /

to envy others’ material possessions;

IV /

always to find fault w ith others;

IV /

n o t to see o n e’s o w n errors;

IV /
2

n o t to keep strictly the precepts leading to liberation;

IV /

n o t to have a sense o f shame and remorse;

IV /
2
12 2 2

o
)
n o t to rcspcct others, but instead to be arrogant, unreliable, and sham e­
IV

less;
2 3

to arouse o n e ’s passions;
/
IV /
2 2

to contradict the tw elve links o f dependent origination;

4 2 25
(\

to hold extrem e views;

I
/V /

n o t to be tranquil and free o f passions;

3 6
(\

to delight in saiiisara, not in nirvana;

(
/\
7

to enjoy heterodox scripturcs;

(
/\
8

to be enveloped in the five covers so that afflictions arise;

(
/\
9 - 0..3i

to have no faith in karmic results;

(
/\

to fear the three doors to liberation;

to slander the profound, subtle D harm a instead o f cultivating the prac­
(
/\

ticcs leading to ultim ate quiescence; and

3
2

to have no respect for the Three Jewels.

(
/\

All these are corruptions o f a sramana. If a sramana can cleanse him self o f these
kinds o f corruption, he is a true sramana.
44Kasyapa, furtherm ore, eight things can destroy the |g o o d | deeds o f a sra­
mana. W hat are the eight?
nv ^ w'

N o t to be rcspectful and obedient to tcachcrs and superiors;

/ L\

n o t to esteem the Dharma;

/ L\

not to have proper thoughts;

/ L\

4) to slander the D harm a after hearing it explained for the first time;
/ L\

to bccom e frightened w h en hearing the D harm a w hich tcachcs the n o n ­

/ll\/ L\

existence o f sentient beings, self, life, and personal idcntit\-;

6) to understand only conditioned dharmas, not unconditioned ones, even
^

after hearing that no phenom ena ever arise from the beginning;
to fall into the huge, deep pit6 after hearing the gradual doctrinc;7 and
/ll\

to be perplexed and confuscd to hear that no dharm a arises, has a self­

entity, or goes anywhere.
/ll\
284 O n V ir t u e a n d D iscip lin e

Kasyapa, these eight things can destroy the [good]deeds of a sramaiia. A sramana
w ho has left the household life should shun these eight things.
tlKasyapa, I do n o t say that those w h o shave their heads and dress in m onas­
tic robes are sramanas; I say that those w ho are fully endow ed w ith virtues and
good depo rtm en t arc sramanas.
tlKasyapa, a sramana dressed in a monastic robe should keep his m ind far
aw ay from desire, hatred, and ignorancc. Why? Because I allow only those w ho
have no desire, no hatred, and no ignorancc to dress in monastic robes.8 Kasyapa,
sramaiias w h o arc dressed in m onastic robes but have desire, hatred, and ignorancc
in m ind and do n o t keep the prccepts arc burning their monastic robes, while those
w ho observe the prccepts single-mindedly arc not. Why? Becausc monastic robes
should be w o rn by those w h o have the attributes o f a saint, dwell in ultimate
quicsccncc, practice kindness and compassion, and arc free from passions.
tlKasyapa, now , listen to me. T here are tw elve signs o f a saint. W hat are the
twelve?
(1) T o observe the discipline;
(2) to develop meditation;
(3) to cultivate w isdom ;
(4) to achicvc liberation;
(5) to acquirc the know ledge and awareness derived from liberation;
(6) to com prehend the four noble truths;
(7) to com prehend the twelve links o f dependent origination;
(8) to fulfill the four immeasurables;
(8) to practice the four dhyanas;
(10) to practice the four dhyanas o f the Realm o f Formlessness;9
(11) to enter right concentration, leading to the four fruits [of the Sravaka-
vehicle];10 and
(12) to eliminate all o n e’s defilements.
Kasyapa, these are the tw elve signs o f a saint. Kasyapa, I say the m onks w h o are
not fully endow ed w ith the tw elve signs o f a saint yet dress in monastic robes do
not cultivate the B uddha-D harm a or approach nirvaiia, n o r do th ey procccd to ­
w ard ultim ate quiescencc; instead, th ey perform evil, sarhsaric deeds. T h ey do not
cross [the sea of] saihsara, but are caught by demons; th ey do n o t maintain the
true D harm a, but follow w rong doctrines.
“Therefore, Kasyapa, a m o n k w ho has left the household life but has n o t yet
achieved the fruit o f a sramaiia should esteem in eight ways the monastic robe
w hich he wears. W hat are the eight? W hen he wears a monastic robe, he should
bring forth:
(1) the th o u g h t o f a stiipa;
(2) the th o u g h t o f the W orld-H onored One;
(3) the thought o f ultim ate quiescence;
 A b id in g in G ood and N oble D eportm ent 285

(4) the thought o f kindness;

(5) the thought o f respecting [the robe] as a Buddha;
( 6 ) the th o u g h t o f shame;
(7) the th o u g h t o f rem orse; and
(8 ) the th ought that the robe will free him o f desire, hatred, and ignorance
and will causc him to fulfill the right practices o f a sramana in future lives.
Kasyapa, a m o n k should esteem a monastic robe in these eight ways.
4tKasyapa, if sramanas arc n o t content w ith the four noble practices, but
violate the right practices o f a sramana, and do n o t esteem a m onastic robe in these
eight w ay s’ they are false sramaiias and will fall to m inor hells. Kasyapa, false
sramanas suffer pain in hell: their clothing, bowls, and bodies are all ablaze; the
places w here they sit or sleep and the things they use burn intensely, like big
furnaces. False sramanas undergo such sufferings. W h y do th ey fall to such a
miserable state? Because they have com m itted im pure deeds, w ords, and thoughts.
tlKasyapa, suppose a precept-brcaking m o n k falsely claims to be a true sra­
m ana and to practice pure conduct. W hen meritorious, prcccpt-keeping people
m ake offerings to him and respectfully circum am bulate him, he acccpts all this
w ith o u t even k n o w in g his o w n wickedness. T h at w icked m o n k will, bccause of
this evil root, reap eight contem ptible attributes [in a future life]. W hat are the
eight?
1

I'o be foolish;
2

to be mute;
^

to be short in stature;
t

) to have such ugly, distorted features that anyone w h o sees him laughs at
5

him;
6

to be born female and w o rk as a p oor servant;

7

to be weak, emaciated, and die young;

mm
/

to be notorious instead o f respected; and

n o t to encounter Buddhas.
Kasyapa, if a precept-brcaking m onk allows precept-keeping people to pay h o m ­
age and m ake offerings to him , he will have these eight contemptible attributes [in
a future life]. Kasyapa, a precept-breaking m onk should, after hearing this ex­
plained, n o t accept the hom age and offerings o f a precept-kecping m onk.
tlKasyapa, if a precept-breaking m o n k falsely claims to be a true sram ana and
to practice pure conduct, he docs n o t deserve a space w ide enough for him to spit,
let alone a space to raise and low er his feet, to go here and there, to bend dow n, or
to stretch out. W hy? Because in the past, great m onarchs offered large tracts o f
land to virtuous precept-keepers to serve as their dwelling-places while they p u r­
sued the path. Kasyapa, a precept-breaking m o n k is n o t w o rth y o f any offerings
given by faithful d o n o rs’ n o t even a space to raise and low er his feet, let alone a
place with room s for resident and visiting m o n k s’ or a place to take w alking
286 O n V ir t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

exercise. H e is n o t w o rth y o f any offerings given by faithful donors, such as a

house, a bed, a garden, a garm ent, a bowl, bedding, or mcdicinc.
4tKasyapa, n o w I say that if a precept-brcaking m o n k falsely claims to be a
true sramana and to practice pure conduct, he cannot requite the kindness of
faithful donors, not even with a blessing as tiny as the tip o f a hair. W hy? Like
the vast ocean, noble fields o f blessings are suprem e and m ost wonderful. A donor
w ho, out o f pure faith, sows a seed o f giving in the fields o f blessings m ay think
that he has m ade an immeasurable gift. Kasyapa, w h en a wicked, prcccpt-breaking
m o n k accepts from a faithful donor any offering, even as little as one hundredth o f
a split hair, he will causc his d o n o r to forfeit blissful rewards the size o f the vast
occan; such a m o n k cannot repay at all the kindness o f his donor. Kasyapa, there­
fore, a m onk should have a pure m ind w hen accepting an offering from afaithful
donor. Kasyapa, this you should learn.”
At that time, in the assembly, two hundred monks w ho were pure in deed,
had few desires, and were free from [the four] yokes wiped aw ay their tears after
they had heard this doctrinc explained, and said, “W orld-H onored One, n o w wc
w ould rather die than acccpt even one meal from a faithful donor without first
having achieved the fruit o f a sramana.
T he B uddha said, “Excellent, excellent! Good men, sincc you feci shame and
remorse, and your fear o f future lives is as strong as adamant, you may be co m ­
pared in this life to necklaces o f precious jewels. G ood men, I say n o w that in the
w orld there arc only tw o kinds o f people w o rth y o f offerings given by faithful
donors. W hat arc the two? O ne is those w h o cultivate [the D harm a] with vigor;
the o th er is those w h o have achieved liberation.”
T he B uddha told these m onks, “If a m o n k has achieved liberation, practices
w holesom e dharmas, strictly keeps the prcccpts as I have taught, contemplates all
phenom ena as im perm anent and painful and all dharmas as devoid o f self, and also
contemplates the ultimate quiesccncc o f nirvana with a desire to attain it_ then,
even if he accepts from faithful donors a pile o f offerings the size o f M ount
Sumeru, he will surely be able to rew ard the donors w ith com m ensurate blessings.
“If such a m o n k accepts offerings from a faithful donor, he will causc the
donor to obtain great benefits and great rewards. W hy? Becausc blessings always
result from three things: constant giving o f food, building temples and m o n ­
asteries, and the practice o f kindness. O f these three, the practice o f kindness
results in the suprem e blessings•”
T he B uddha continued. “If a m o n k enters the immeasurable dhyana11 after he
acccpts clothing, a bowl, bedding, food and drink, or medicinc from a donor, he
can cause his donor to obtain limitless blissful rewards. Kasyapa, all the vast oceans
in a billion-w orld universe m ay dry up, but the blissful rewards w hich the donor
thus acquires cannot be exhausted. Kasyapa, you should k n o w that a precept-
brcaking m o n k damages the blessings o f a donor. If a m onk performs misdeeds
at ter he accepts offerings from a faithful donor, he will waste the d o n o r’s offerings.
uKasyapa, therefore I discourse on the corruption o f a sramana, the faults
 A b id in g in G ood and N oble D eportment 287

and transgressions o f a sramaiia, the deceit and crookcdncss o f a sramana, and the
thievery am ong sramanas.
"Kasyapa, a precept-keeping m o n k should be single-minded and rem ain far
away from all those unw holesom e dharmas. Kasyapa, a sramana is one w h o docs
not let his eyes, cars, nose, tongue, body, or m ind be attracted by any objects.
O n e w ho protects his six sense-organs from being attracted (to objects], com pre­
hends the six miraculous powers, concentratcs on the six mindfulnesses,12 abides
sccurely in the six kinds o f reverent harm o n y in a m o n astery ,1' and practiccs the six
valuable dharm as14 is callcd a Sramana.”

II

丁 hen the B uddha told Kasyapa, " O n e w h o can destroy his afflictions is callcd a
m onk. O ne w h o can break up the thoughts of self, a sentient being, a personal
identity, a man, or a w o m an is callcd a m onk. Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, one w ho
cultivates discipline and w isdom is called a monk. Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, one w ho
is fearless; cxtricatcs himself from the three realms and the four currents,ln sees their
faults and distresses, and avoids them all; and situates him self sccurcly on the path
o f fearlessness is called a monk.
4tKasyapa, if a m onk docs not fulfil this or other good doctrincs despite his
know ledge o f them , but gives up all good doctrincs and treads different paths, he
is not m y disciple and I am not his tcacher.
4tKasyapa, there are m any wickcd m onks w ho do harm to m y D harm a.
Kasyapa, it is not the ninety-fi ve kinds o f heterodox devotees,16 n o r other kinds o f
heterodox devotees, but the ignorant persons in m y order w h o can destroy m y
D harm a. For example, Kasyapa, after a lion, the king o f beasts, dies, no tiger,
wolf, bird, or other beast can eat its tlcsh; (only| the w o rm s living in its body can
cat its flesh. Kasyapa, in m y order, there are w icked m onks w h o arc greedy for
material gains and overw helm ed by avarice. They do not eliminate unw holesom e
dharmas, do not cultivate w holesom e dharmas, and do not cease to tell lies.
Kasyapa, it is these m o n k s w h o can destroy m y D harm a.
4tKasyapa, a m o n k w h o harbors four things is wickcd. W h at arc the four?
(1) Desire;
(2) hatred;
(3) ignorancc; and
(4) arrogance.17
"Furtherm ore, there arc four attributes o f a wickcd m onk. W hat are the
tour^
(1) T o be conceited;
(2) to be insensitive to shame;
288 O n V i r t u e a n d D is c ip lin e

(3) n o t to feel remorse; and

(4) to be carelcss in speaking.
“M oreover, there are four deeds o f a w ickcd m onk. W hat are the four?
(1) T o be unstable;
(2) to look d o w n on others;
(3) to seek material gains greedily; and
(4) to perform misdeeds frequently.
“Furtherm ore, there are four [other| deeds o f a wickcd m onk. W hat are the
four?
(1) T o be villainous and deceitful;
(2) to delude and confuse others;
(3) to earn a livelihood in an im proper way; and
(4) to use abusive language.
“M o reo v er, there are four [other] deeds o f a wicked m onk. W hat are the
four?
(1) T o accept favors from others w ith o u t returning favors to them ;
(2) to do small favors for others and expcct great rewards;
(3) to forget favors previously bestow ed by others; and
(4) to do harm to relatives and friends.
“Furtherm ore, there arc four [othcrj deeds o f a w ickcd m onk. W hat arc the
four?
(1) N o t to requite the kindness o f faithful donors w ith blessings and rewards
after accepting their offerings;
(2) n o t to protect the discipline well;
(3) to despise the precepts one has received; and
(4) n o t to keep the prccepts strictly.
“M oreover, a m onk w ho gives discourses preaching four doctrincs is a
wickcd m onk. What are the four?
(1) T h at there is a self;
(2) that there is a sentient being;
(3) that there is life; and
(4) that there is a personal identity.
"Furtherm ore, there are four [other] deeds o f a wicked m onk. W hat arc the
tour?
(1) N o t to respect the Buddha;
(2) n o t to respect the D harm a;
(3) not to rcspect the Sarhgha; and
(4) n o t to respect the discipline.
 A b id in g in G ood and N oble D eportm ent 289

“ M oreover, there arc four [other] deeds o f a wicked m onk. W hat are the
tour?
(1) T o be unhappy w hen there is h arm on y w ithin the Saiiigha;
(2) to dislike living alone;
(3) to enjoy being in crowds; and
(4) to talk o f w orldly affairs all the time.
"Furtherm ore, there are four [other] deeds o f a w ickcd m onk. W hat arc the
four?
(1) T o strive for material gains;
(2) to pursue great fame;
(3) to form m an y acquaintances; and
(4) n o t to abide in the [four] noble practices.
“M oreover, there are four [other] deeds o f a wicked m onk. W hat are the
tour?
(1) T o be bound by demons;
(2) to be perverted by demons;
(3) to indulge in [cxcessivc] sleep; and
(4) not to enjoy practicing virtue.
"Furtherm ore, there arc four [other] deeds o f a wickcd m onk. W hat are the
four?
(1) T o causc the B u d d h a-D h arm a to degenerate;
(2) to be a sycophant at heart;
(3) to be harm ed by defilements; and
(4) n o t to pursue the fruit o f a sramana.
“M oreover, a m o n k w h o b u m s w ith four things is a wicked m onk. W hat
are the four?
(1) T o bu rn with sexual desire;
(2) to burn w ith hatred;
(3) to b u m w ith ignorance; and
(4) to b u m w ith any other defilements.
“Furtherm ore, there are four [other] deeds o f a wicked m onk. W hat arc the
tour?
(1) T o visit brothels frequently, w ith o u t k now ing the h arm it does;
?(2) n o t to be content;
(3) n o t to be content in spite o f having m uch learning;18 and
(4) to be always miserly and n o t to share necessities w ith others.
“M o re o v er，there are four [other] deeds o f a w icked m onk. W hat are the
four?
290 O n V ir t u e a n d D iscip lin e

T o go fro m darkness to |m orej darkness and from ignorance to |m orcj

ignorancc;
to doubt the four noble truths instead o f percciving them;
to be always bound by sarhsara; and
to close the d oor to nirvana.
“Finally, a m o n k w h o is deceitful in four w ays is a wickcd m o n k . W hat arc
the four?
(1) T o be deceitful in body;
(2) to be deceitful in specch;
(3) to be deceitful in mind; and
(4) to be deceitful in manner.
“W hat is it to be deceitful in body? To be dcceitful in body is to [pretend to]
walk w ith com posure. T o be deceitful in body is to [pretend to] look neither to the
right n o r to the left. T o be dcccitful in body is to [pretend to] look only a few feet
away if one looks right or left. T o be dcccitful in body is to dress in a monastic
robe while relying on im proper means o f livelihood; to live in a secluded placc in
order to gain praise, w ithout fulfi lling the purpose o f living there; to beg for food
in order to gain praise, w ithout contem plating the reasons for food-begging; to
w ear a garm ent o f cast-off rags in order to gain praise, w ithout know ing that it is
m eant to generate humility; to live in a cavc or un d er a tree in order to gain praise,
w ithout studying the tw elve links o f dependent origination; to take stale, discarded
medicinc in order to gain praise, w ithout seeking the ambrosial D harm a-m cdicine.
Kasyapa, all this is callcd being deceitful in body.
uKasyapa, w hat is it to be deceitful in spccch? [It is to say:] ‘H e know s m e ’;
‘H e invites m e ’；‘I obtain w h a t I see k ’；‘I do n ot seek material gains, but he gives
them to m e ，；‘I have acquired every fine, wonderful offering, and great material
gains as w ell ，；‘I often practicc w holesom e dharmas, so offerings should be m ade
to m e ’；‘I am good at debating ，；‘I k n o w the forms o f the dharm as in dircct order
and in inverted o rd e r’;19 ‘I k n o w the right and w ron g m eanings o f all d harm as ’；‘If
he asks m e this, I can answ er him, convince him, and silence him w ith m y
an sw er ’；or ‘By speaking, I can please everyone, and I can also m ake people adm ire
and praise me. I can m ake th em invite me [to their homes], m ake offerings to me,
and ask m e to return often after I acccpt their offerings. ，Kasyapa, if a person docs
not control his speech and says everything contrary to propriety, he is deceitful in
speech. Kasyapa, this is called being deceitful in spcech.
"Kasyapa, w hat is it to be deceitful in mind? T o be dcccitful in m ind is to
say, ‘I do n o t w ant such material supports as clothing, bowls, bedding, food and
drink, and m edicinc，，while o n e’s m ind is [really] concerned w ith nothing but the
pursuit o f these. It is to say falsely that one is content while actually one is seeking
m any things.”
T hen the W o rld-H onored O n e spoke in verse:
 A b id in g in G ood and N oble D eportm ent 291

‘‘If a p e rs o n seeks m ateria l gains

A n d p u rs u e s t h e m in an im p r o p e r w a y ,
W h ile c la im in g h e is c o n tcn t,
T h e n h e is fo re v e r m iserab le.
B e in g falsehearted,
T h is p e rs o n is dcceitful to all;
H is m in d is u tte rly im p u re .
G o d s, d ra g o n s , spirits,
T h o s e w h o h a v e th e d e va-ey e,
A n d B u d d h a s , th e W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e s ,
All k n o w a n d see this.

uK a sy ap a, su c h a w ic k e d m o n k is a p a r t fr o m w h o le s o m e d h a r m a s a n d b e ­
havior, a n d e arn s a living in an i m p ro p e r w a y ; h e will fall to th e th re e m ise rab le
p lan es o f e x is te n c e .”

hi

T h e B u d d h a t o l d K a sy ap a, “ W h a t is th e o u tc a s tc 20 o f sra m a n a s? K asy ap a, an o u t-
caste o ften g o es to a g ra v e y a rd lo o k in g fo r a corpse, a n d is glad to see on e. H e
trea ts sen tien t beings w i th o u t kindn ess o r c o m p a s sio n . S im ilarly, K asy ap a, th e
o u tc a s te o f sra m a n a s has n o kindness. H e g o es to a d o n o r ’s h o u se w i th evil in te n ­
tions, a n d values h ig h ly w h a t h e ob tain s. H e d o es n o t tea ch his d o n o r s th e B u d -
d h a - D h a r m a an d discipline after h e accepts m ateria l o fferin g s f r o m th e m . H e as­
sociates closely w i th layp eop le fo r th e sake o f m ateria l gains, n o t fo r th e sake o f
D h a r m a . H e has n o k in d n e s s a n d a lw a y s se e k s m ateria l po ssessio n s. K a sy ap a, th is
is w h a t is m e a n t b y th e o u tc a s te o f sra m a n a s.
uK a sy ap a, all p e ople, in c lu d in g m in isters, elders, princes, w a rrio rs, b r a h ­
m in s, a n d c o m m o n p e ople, dissociate th e m se lv e s fr o m an outcastc. E v e n th e m o s t
lo w ly slaves a v o id his p re s e n c e an d a cq u ain tan c e. Sim ilarly, K asyap a, all p e ople,
in c lu d in g v irtu o u s , re sp e c te d p rc c c p t-k c c p c rs, m o n k s , n u n s, la y m e n , la y w o m e n ,
g o d s, d ra g o n s , g h o s ts , spirits, an d g a n d h a rv a s k e e p a lo o f fro m th e o u tc aste o f
sra m a n a s, b e ca u se th e y k n o w th a t he b re a k s th e p re c ep ts a n d practiccs evil d h a r­
m as. K a sy ap a, this is w h a t is m e a n t b y th e ou tcastc o f sra m a n a s.
uK a s y a p a , an o u tc a s te ’s c lo th in g , fo o d a n d d rin k , an d th e th in g s he uses are
s h u n n e d b y v irtu o u s people. Sim ilarly, K asy ap a, th e o u tc aste o f sra m a n a s p ro c u re s
his m o n a s tic ro b e , b o w l, a n d o th e r necessities o f life b y b re a k in g th e prcccpts; b y
p e r f o r m i n g i m p r o p e r d e ed s w i th b o d y , speech, a n d m in d ; a n d b y p ra c ticin g flat­
tery. P re c e p t-k e e p in g s ra m a n a s a n d b ra h m in s s h u n th e th in g s w h ic h th e ou tc aste
292 O n V ir t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

o f sra m a n a s has p r o c u r e d im p ro p e rly ; th e y h a v e [only] p ity fo r him . K asyapa, this

is w h a t is m e a n t b y th e o u tc astc o f sram anas.
a K a syap a, an o u tc astc s h a m e fu lly b egs fo r fo o d w ith b o w l in h and. S im i­
larly, K asy ap a, an o u tc a s tc o f sram aiias sh a m e fu lly e n te rs his o w n r o o m , o t h e r s ，
h o m e s , or th e p re se n c e o f people; h e goes to th e B u d d h a sh a m efu lly ; he sh a m e fu lly
p ays h o m a g e to th e stiipa o f th e T a th a g a ta ; he c o m e s a n d goes, b e n d s an d strctches
sh a m efu lly ; a n d h e w alks, stands, sits, an d lies d o w n sh a m efu lly . T o su m m a riz e ,
h e d o cs e v e r y th in g s h a m e fu lly b ccause h e conceals his evil d h a rm a s.
" K asyapa, an o u tc a ste n e v e r goes to a g o o d placc, n o m a t t e r w h e r e h e goes.
W h y ? B e ca u sc he p ra c tice s evil d h a rm a s him self. S im ilarly, K a sy ap a, th e o u tc aste
o f sram arias docs n o t g o to an y g o o d plane o f e x isten ce, n o m a t te r w h e r e he goes,
b eca u se h e p e rfo r m s m a n y b a d deeds a n d actions leadin g to re b ir th in the m ise rab le
plan es o f existcncc. K asyap a, this is w h a t is m e a n t b y th e o u tc aste o f sram aiias.
★ ★ ★
uK a s y a p a , w h a t is a c o rru p t sra m a n a ? K a sy ap a, the s e d im e n t o f w ine w h ic h
re m a in s at the b o t t o m [o f a ja r] after th e g o o d , sw e e t w in e has b e e n ta k e n o u t is
u seless a n d is d e s p ise d b y p e o p le . S im ila rly , K a sy ap a, a c o rru p t s r a m a n a w h o g iv es
u p th e fla v o r o f th e D h a r m a a n d instead clings to th e d re g s o f afflictions is useless
a n d is a b h o r r e d b y people. H e sm ells the offensive o d o r o f afflictions, n o t the
fra g ra n c e o f discipline. H e can b e n e fit n e ith e r h im se lf n o r o th e rs, n o m a t te r w h e re
h e goes. K a sy ap a, this is w h a t is m e a n t b y a c o rru p t sra m a n a .
" K a s y a p a , c o r r u p tio n m a y b e c o m p a r e d to the tra n s f o rm a tio n o f fo o d in to
d u n g , w h ic h is fetid, im p u re , a n d d isg u stin g . T hus, K a sy ap a, a c o rru p t s ra m a n a is
like d u n g , b c c a u sc he is i m p u r e in deed , w o r d , an d t h o u g h t . K asy ap a, th is is w h a t
is m e a n t b y a c o r r u p t sra m a n a .
" K a s y a p a , a spo iled seed s o w n in t h e g re a t e arth w ill n o t s p ro u t o r b e a r
fruit. S im ilarly, K a sy ap a, a c o r r u p t s ra m a n a n e ith e r p la n ts g o o d r o o ts n o r achieves
th e fru it o f a sram ana, t h o u g h He takes re fu g e in th e B u d d h a - D h a r m a . K a sy ap a,
this is w h a t is m e a n t b y a c o r r u p t sra m a n a .
★ ★ ★

^ K a sy ap a, w h a t is a b o x -s ra m a n a ? K a sy ap a, ju s t as an o rn a te bo x m a d e by a
skillful c ra fts m a n m ay be filled w ith stin k in g , d irty th in g s, so, K a sy ap a, a b o x -
s ra m a n a o u tw a r d l y acts as a s ra m a n a s h o u ld act; in w a r d ly h e is full o f filth an d
p ractices evil deeds. K a syap a, this is w h a t is m e a n t b y a b o x - s r a m a n a
★ ★ ★

" K asy a p a , w h a t is an a m a ra n th -s ra m a ria ? K a syap a, an a m a ra n th is v e ry

p re tty , b u t its su b sta n cc is as h a rd as w o o d o r sto n e an d its o d o r as offen siv e as
du ng. T h e w ise w ill n o t c o m e elo se to o r t o u c h an a m a r a n th , a n d a v o id e v e n th e
s ig h t o f it, w h ile fools w h o d o n o t k n o w its defects a p p r o a c h a n d sm ell it w h e n
th e y see it. S im ila rly , K a sy ap a, an a m a ra n th -s ra m a n a acts like a s r a m a n a in a p p e a r­
ance, t h o u g h actually he is rud e, indelicate, p r o u d , co n ceited , filthy, and im p u re .
 A b id in g in G ood and N oble D eportment 293

H e b re a k s th e prcccpts, d e p o r ts h im s e lf v e ry badly, an d d o cs n o t h o ld p ro p e r
v iew s. K a sy ap a, th e w ise d o n o t associate closely w ith an a m a r a n th - s r a m a n a o r
re sp ec tfu lly c irc u m a m b u la te h im to his rig h t; fu r th e rm o re , t h e y k e e p far a w a y
f r o m h im , b ecause he is an evil m a n . K asyap a, o n ly th o s e as silly as c h ild re n
associate closely w ith h im , m a k e c irc u m a m b u la tio n s to his rig h t to h o n o r h im ,
a n d a c c e p t his w o r d s w i th faith, ju s t as a s tu p id p e rs o n g o es to p lu c k an a m a ra n th .
K asyap a, this is w h a t is m e a n t b y an a m a ra n th -s ra m a n a .

uK a s y a p a , w hat is a p ro fit-s e e k in g sra m a n a ? K a syap a, a flattering, deceitful

p e rs o n is a lw a y s m is e rly a n d w r a p p e d in desire. W h e n h e sees a n o th e r p e r s o n ’s
p ro p e rty , h e is so e ag e r to steal it th at h e d o cs n o t feel s h a m e o r re m o rs e fo r u sin g
a sh a rp k n ife o r a cu d g c l to a ttain his goal. H e has n o p ity , an d a lw a y s h a rb o rs
h a rm fu l in te n tio n s. W h e n w a lk in g b y a desolate m a rs h , in a forest, o r in a village,
he is i n te n t o n stealing o t h e r s ’ p ro p e rty , so h e o fte n h id e s him self.
“ S im ilarly, K asyapa, a p ro fit-se e k in g s ra m a n a is a lw a y s m ise rly a n d c h o k c d
b y desire. H e is n e v e r c o n te n t w ith his o w n gains, b u t alw ays co v e ts o t h e r s ’
p ro p e rty . H e g o es to a city o r a village fo r th e sake o f m ateria l gains, n o t for
th e sake o f w h o le s o m e d h a rm a s , but he conceals his evil w a y s. T h in k i n g that
g o o d m o n k s k n o w he b re a k s th e p rc c cp ts a n d that, w h e n th e y disco urse o n dis­
cipline, t h e y m a y act o n th eir k n o w le d g e b y d riv in g h im a w a y fr o m th e o rd e r,
a p ro fit-se e k in g s ra m a n a b e c o m c s v e ry fearful o f g o o d m o n k s . Inside, he is flat­
te rin g a n d deceitful; b u t outside, h e b e h a v e s well.
“ All g o d s, d ra g o n s , g h o s ts, spirits, an d t h o s e w h o h a v e th e d c v a -c y c k n o w
this m o n k for w h a t h e is: w h e n he c o m e s, h e c o m e s as a thief; w h e n he goes, h e
g o es as a thief; a n d sim ilarly , as a t h i e f h e w a lk s, sits, lies d o w n , rises, ta k e s his
ro b e, p u ts o n his rob e, e n te rs a village, leaves a village, eats his m eal, d rin k s, and
shaves his hair.
uK a s y a p a , th e going, c o m in g , a n d all o th e r actions o f this fool are k n o w n
an d seen b y gods, d ra g o n s , ghosts, a n d spirits. T h e y re b u k e this evil m o n k w h e n
th e y see w h a t h e docs, saying, ’It is such b a d m e n w h o d e s tro y th e D h a rm a o f
S a k y a m u n i B u d d h a . ，W h e n th e go d s, d ra g o n s , g h o s ts , a n d spirits see a s r a m a n a or
b r a h m i n w h o k e ep s th e p rc c ep ts an d cultivates p u re c o n d u c t, th e y w ill believe in,
h o n o r, a n d e ste e m h im , saying, ‘S u c h a p e rs o n d e s e rv e s m ateria l o fferin g s a c c o rd ­
ing to th e B u d d h a - D h a r m a . ’ K asyap a, t h o u g h a p ro fit-se e k in g s ra m a n a leaves th e
h o u s e h o ld life to tak e re fu g e in th e B u d d h a - D h a r m a , h e c a n n o t g e n e ra te e v e n a
single t h o u g h t o f u ltim a te qu iescence o r a passionless m in d , let alone a cqu ire the
fruit o f a s ra m a n a . It is a b so lu te ly im p o ssib le for h im to a cq u irc it. K a syap a, this is
w h a t is m e a n t b y a p ro fit-s e e k in g sra m a n a .
★ ★ ★
u K a sy ap a, w hat is a d a rn e l-s ra m a n a ? K asyap a, th e d a rnels in a w h e at-field
lo o k e xactly like w h e a t, so a fa rm e r says th at all th e plants are g o o d w h e a t, but
later, w h e n th e k ernels o f w h e a t e m e rg e , h e k n o w s th at h e w a s w r o n g to say that.
294 O n V ir t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

K asyap a, sim ilarly , a d a rn e l-s ra m a n a in a g ro u p w ith o t h e r sra m a n a s see m s to b e a

v irtu o u s p re c e p t-k e e p e r, and w h e n a d o n o r secs the g ro u p , he says that all o f th e m
are sra m a n a s. H o w e v e r , actually th at fool is n o t a s ra m a n a , t h o u g h he says h e is.
H e does not cultiv ate p u re c o n d u c t, t h o u g h h e says he does. H e is c o rru p t fr o m
th e o u ts e t a n d d o e s n o t ke ep a n y precepts. H e d o es n o t b e lo n g to t h e o rd e r, either.
H e lacks th e vital w i s d o m o f th e B u d d h a - D h a r m a a n d w ill fall to th e m ise rab le
p lan es o f existen ce a fte r d e ath. H e is like th e d a rnels a m o n g g o o d w h e at.
“In th e fu tu re , w h e n go d s, d ra g o n s, a n d th o se w h o h a v e th e d e v a -e y e see
th a t fool fall to a hell, th e y w ill say to each o th e r, ‘T h is fool lo o k e d like a s ra m a n a
in th e past, b u t he p e r f o r m e d u n w h o l e s o m e d h a rm a s . T h e re fo re , n o w he has fallen
to a g re a t hell, as h e d e serv es. F r o m n o w to th e far d ista n t future, h e w ill n o t be
able to achicv c th e v irtu o u s d e ed s o r the fruit o f a sra m a n a . H e is like d a rnels
a m o n g g o o d w h e a t . ，K a syap a, this is w h a t is m e a n t b y a d a rn e l-sra m a n a .
★ ★ ★
^K a sy ap a, w hat is an u n d e v e lo p e d 21 sra m a n a ? K a sy ap a, u n d e v e lo p e d rice
plants are so called b ecause th e y are n o t m a tu r e yet. T h e y arc n o t firm , so th e y are
b l o w n a w a y b y th e w in d . T h e y are n o t s tr o n g o r stu rd y . T h e y lo o k like rice, b u t
actually th e y are n o t y e t rice. K a sy ap a, sim ilarly, an u n d e v e lo p e d s ra m a n a looks
like a s ra m a n a in app e ara n c e, b u t n o o n e has ta u g h t o r c o rre c te d him . B ecausc he
lacks th e p o w e r o f v irtu e, he is b l o w n b y th e w in d o f d e m o n s . H e has n o v ig o r
a n d lacks th e p o w e r o f discipline. H e learns little a n d his m e d it a t io n lacks p o w e r.
H e has n o w i s d o m a n d c a n n o t d e s tro y th e th eiv e s o f afflictions. Such a s ra m a n a is
m e a n , inferior, a n d p o w erless, a n d is b o u n d a n d c o n tro lle d b y d e m o n s . H e is
s u b m e r g e d in afflictions a n d b l o w n b y t h e w i n d o f d e m o n s , j u s t as u n d e v e lo p e d
rice p lan ts are b lo w n b y th e w in d .
uK asy ap a, j u s t as u n d e v e lo p e d ricc p lan ts h a v e n o seeds to be s c a tte re d in a
field and s p ro u t, so u n d e v e lo p e d s ra m a n a s have n o seeds o f th e path to sca tte r in
th e field o f the B u d d h a - D h a r m a , an d cannot liberate th e m se lv e s fro m sariisara by
th e d o c trin c s o f sages and saints. K a syap a, sra m a n a s w h o b re a k th e p re c ep ts an d
d o evil are called u n d e v e lo p e d sram anas.
★ ★ ★
uK a sy ap a, w hat is a false s ra m a n a ? K a syap a, a skillful sm ith gilds a piecc o f
c o p p e r so th a t it is th e c o lo r o f go ld, but the c o p p e r article is differen t fro m g o ld in
valu e a n d p e o p le will k n o w b y ru b b in g it that it is n o t gold. S im ilarly, a false
s ra m a n a likes to a d o rn him self. H e b a th e s often, d re sse s neatly , an d c o n d u c ts
h im s e lf strictly in a cc o rd a n c e w ith th e rules o f a s ra m a n a , w h e th e r g o in g , c o m in g ,
b e n d in g , o r stretch in g . H o w e v e r , he is a lw a y s p lag u ed , n o t o n ly b y desire, h a tre d ,
an d ig n o ra n c c , b u t also b y g re e d fo r m a te ria l gains, rcspcct, an d praise; a n d b y
pride, a rro g a n c c, a n d all o t h e r d e file m e n ts. A l th o u g h he is hig h ly e ste e m e d b y
people, he in fact is n o t w o r t h y o f e ste e m at all. H e c o n sta n tly an d carefully d eck s
his b o d y w ith o rn a m e n ts . H e lo n g s fo r g o o d fo o d a n d d rin k . H e d o cs n o t seek the
n o b le D h a r m a , a n d has n o fear fo r fu tu re lives. H e m a y w in te m p o r a ry h o n o r, b u t
 A b id in g in G ood and N oble D eportment 295

n o t lasting h o n o r . All h e gains is w eigh t. H e d e p e n d s o n m aterial s u p p o rts , n o t o n

th e D h a r m a , a n d is e n ta n g le d in v a rio u s b o n d s. H e h a n d le s his p r o p e r ty as­
sid u o u sly , like a lay m a n . H e th in k s like a lay m a n , an d as a result he reacts like one:
h e feels pain a n d p lea su re as a la y m a n does, an d he is p la g u e d b y a tta c h m e n t an d
a v ersio n . H e has n o in te n tio n to practice th e la w o f a sra m a iia c x c e p t in rites an d
m a n n e rs . H e w ill defin itely fall to the m ise ra b le planes o f h cll-dw ellers, h u n g r y
g h o sts, a n d anim als, b ecause he is n o t a s ra m a n a in reality, c a n n o t be qu alified as
o n e, a n d d o es n o t d eserv e th e nam e. K asyap a, this is w h a t is m e a n t b y a false
sra m a n a .
★ ★ ★
uK a sy ap a, w h a t is a b lood less sram aiia? K a sy ap a, a m a n , w o m a n , b o y , or
girl w h o s e b l o o d has been s u c k e d b y g h o s ts w ill b e c o m e cm a ciatcd and w e ak ,
because o f th e loss o f b lo o d . K asyap a, d e p riv e d o f b lo o d , he o r she c a n n o t be
c u rc d b y a n y m ed ic in e, spell, knife, o r c u d g e l 22 a n d w ill definitely die. K asyap a,
sim ila rly , a s ra m a n a is called a b lo o d le s s s ra m a n a if he lacks th e b lo o d o f discipline,
m e d ita tio n , w i s d o m , lib e ra tio n , an d th e k n o w l e d g e a n d a w a re n e s s d e riv e d fro m
liberation; th e b lo o d o f k in d n ess, c o m p a ss io n , j o y , an d e q u a n im ity ; th e b lo o d o f
g iv in g , sclf-c o n tro l, a n d th e gu ard in g o f his bodily, verbal, an d m en tal actions; the
b lo o d o f ab id in g sccurcly in th e fo u r n o b le practices; the b lo o d o f g o o d d e p o r t ­
m e n t; a n d th e b lo o d o f pu re deeds, w o rd s, a n d th o u g h ts .
uK asy ap a, t h o u g h he acccpts th e D h a rm a - m e d ic in c s o f the T a th a g a ta , a
b lo o d le ss s ra m a n a c a n n o t save him self. T h e D h a rm a - m e d ic in e s are:
to c o n te m p la te th e i m p u r i ty o f th e b o d y w h e n o n e feels carnal desire;
to p ra c tic e k in d n e s s w h e n o n e feels hatred;
to o b s e rv e the tw e lv e links o f d e p e n d e n t o rig in a tio n w h e n o n e is d elu ded ;
to p o n d e r afflictio ns rightly;
to give u p fo n d n e ss fo r c ro w d s ;
to re n o u n c e e v e r y th in g o n e has; an d
to tak e care o f th re e m o n a s tic d h a rm a s , n a m e ly , to be p u re in discipline,
to s u b d u e o n e ’s m in d , a n d to be c o n c c n tra te d a n d n o t distracted.
K a syap a, thv)ugh b lo o d le ss sra m a n a s tak e th e D h a rm a - m c d ic in c s w h ic h I prcscribc
an d a llo w t h e m to take, th e y c a n n o t save them se lv e s. K asyapa, [these D h a r m a -
m cd ic in cs | arc s u p r a m u n d a n c d o ctrin es:
the c o n te m p la tio n o f e m p tin e ss, signlessness, an d n o n a c tio n ;
the k n o w l e d g e o f the [five] a g g regates, the [eighteen] ele m e n ts, an d the
[tw elve] entrances;
th e f o u r n o b le tru th s; and
the tw e lv e links o f d e p e n d e n t o rig in a tio n .
K a syap a, b lo o d le ss s ra m a n a s c a n n o t save th e m se lv e s ev en b y tak in g th ese [sup ra­
m u n d a n c ] D h a rm a -m c d ic in c s . K asyapa, s ra m a n a s o f this k in d are stin k in g , filthy,
an d im p u re . Because th e y break the p reccpts a n d h av e fe w blessings, th e y will be
296 O n V i r t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

b o m in th e lo w lie st d o m a in s . B c ca u sc o f th e ir a rro g a n c c , after d e a th th e y w ill

su re ly fall to th e g re a t hells, a n d n o w h e r e else. J u s t as p e o p le w h o lose th e ir b lo o d
will defin itely die, so sra m a n a s o f this k in d w ill certainly fall to th e hells after
de ath . K asyap a, this is w h a t is m e a n t b y a b lo o d le ss S ra m a n a .”
★ ★ ★
W h e n th ese d o c trin c s had been sp o k en , five h u n d r e d m o n k s a b a n d o n e d the
m o n a s tic p rc c c p ts and re tu r n e d to th e lay life. A t oncc, oth e r m o n k s re b u k e d
t h e m , say in g, “It is n o t g o o d o r p r o p e r fo r y o u to regress in th e B u d d h a - D h a r m a
a n d r e tu r n to th e lay life.”
T h e B u d d h a to ld th e m o n k s [w h o b la m e d the five h u n d r e d m o n k s ] , “ D o
n o t say so! W h y ? B c ca u sc w h a t th e y d o is in c o m p lia n c c w ith t h e D h a r m a . If
m o n k s re tu r n to t h e lay life b ccausc th e y d o n o t w ish t o acccpt offerin g s fr o m
faithful d o n o rs , th e y c o m p ly w ith th e D h a rm a . T h o s e m o n k s feel re p e n ta n t b c ­
causc o f th e ir faith in an d u n d e r s ta n d in g o f the D h a rm a . W h e n th ey h e a rd m y
tea ch in g s, th e y th o u g h t: ‘W c p ro b a b ly did im p u re deeds, an d th e n a cccptcd offcr-
in g s f r o m faithful d o n o rs . W c sh o u ld feel re p e n ta n t a n d return to th e lay life . 5
u K a syap a, n o w I say that after d e a th th o se m o n k s w ill b e re b o rn in th e
T u sita H e a v e n , w h e r e B o d h is a ttv a M a itrc y a dw ells, a n d w h e n M a itrc y a T a th a g a ta
a p p e a rs in th e w o r ld , t h e y w ill be a m o n g th e m e m b e r s o f his first a s s e m b ly .”

IV
T h e n M a h a k a s y a p a a sk ed the B u d d h a , u W o r l d - H o n o r e d O ne, w h a t k in d s o f m o n k s
m a y tak e c h a rg e o f af fairs?”
T h e B u d d h a replied t o K asy ap a, “ I a llo w t w o k in d s o f m o n k s to tak e ch arg e
o f affairs. W h a t arc th e tw o ? C)nc k in d is a m o n k w h o can k e e p th e p u re prc c cp ts,
a n d th e o th e r is a m o n k w h o s e fear o f fu tu re lives is as s tr o n g as a d am a n t.
F u r th e r m o r e , th e re arc t w o o t h e r k in d s o f m o n k s w h o m a y tak e c h a rg c o f affairs.
W h a t arc th e tw o ? O n e k in d is a m o n k w h o is a w a re o f k a rm ic results a n d th e
o t h e r is a m o n k w h o is re p e n ta n t an d sen sitiv e to sham e. F u r th e rm o re , th e re arc
t w o o t h e r kinds o f m o n k s w h o m a y take ch arg c o f affairs. W h a t arc the tw o ? O n e
k in d is a m o n k w h o has attain ed A rh a ts h ip a n d th e o t h e r is a m o n k w h o can
c u ltiv ate the e ig h tfo ld liberation. K asyap a, I p e r m it these k in d s o f m o n k s to take
c h a rg c o f affairs. W h y ? B ccausc, K asyapa, th e y are blam eless th e m se lv e s an d c o n ­
sid era te o f oth e rs, w h ic h is a rare a ch iev em e n t.
uK a sy ap a, th e re arc m a n y k in d s o f pe o p le w h o h av e left th e h o u s e h o ld life to
take re fu g e in th e B u d d h a - D h a r m a . T h e y differ in natu re, m en tality , liberation,
a n d the erad ic atio n o f passions. S o m e arc fo rcst-d w c llcrs, s o m e practice b e g g in g
to r foo d, s o m e like to live in m o u n ta in g ro v e s, s o m e e n jo y sta y in g n e a r a village,
bonic arc p u re in discipline, s o m e can free th e m s e lv e s fr o m th e fo u r yo k es, s o m e
 A b id in g in G ood and N oble D eportment 297

are d iligent in lea rn in g m u c h , s o m e d e b a te d o ctrin es, s o m e ke ep th e p re c cp ts well,

s o m e b e h a v e th e m se lv e s w ell a c c o rd in g to th e V inay a, a n d s o m e tcach th e D h a r m a
to p e o p le in cities a n d villages. T h e a d m in is tra tiv e m o n k s m u s t w ell d isc e rn th e
v a rio u s t e m p e r a m e n ts o f all th ese k in d s o f m o n k s .
"K a sy a p a , a m o n k w h o d w e lls in a s e c lu d c d forest n e e d s to h a v e leisu re, so
the a d m in is tra tiv e m o n k s h o u ld n o t assign h im an y w o r k . If it is a fo re s t-d w e llin g
m o n k ’s t u rn to d o a j o b , th e a d m in istra tiv e m o n k sh o u ld d o it for h im i f he can;
o th e rw ise , h e s h o u ld ask a n o th e r p e rso n to d o it. H e sho uld n o t o rd e r a fo rest-
d w e llin g m o n k a b o u t, b u t m a y give h im a small task to d o if the m o n k is n o t
e n g a g e d in th e practicc o f th e path.
uK a sy ap a, th e a d m in is tra tiv e m o n k sh o u ld give g o o d fo o d to th o se w h o
practice fo o d -b e g g in g . H e sh o u ld g iv e m o n k s w h o can free th em se lv e s fro m the
fo u r y o k e s a n y th in g th e y need , such as clothing, fo o d an d d rin k , b e d d in g , an d
m cd ic in c. H e s h o u ld n o t s h o u t lo u d ly h im s e lf o r a llo w o th e rs to s h o u t lo u d ly near
th e d w e llin g -p la c c s o f m o n k s free fr o m th e fo u r yo k es, in o r d e r to p ro tc c t th e m .
T h e a d m in is tra tiv e m o n k s h o u ld e x te n d re sp ec t to such m o n k s , re g a rd t h e m as
W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e s , a n d th in k , ‘T h e s e m o n k s can b e th e pillars o f th e B u d d h a -
D h a rm a , a n d I s h o u ld give t h e m a n y th in g th e y n e e d .’
^ K a sy ap a, i f th ere are m o n k s w h o are diligent in lea rn in g m u c h , th e a d ­
m in is tra tiv e m o n k s h o u ld e n c o u ra g e t h e m , saying, ‘Y o u v irtu o u s o n es d ilig e n tly
p u rs u e k n o w le d g e , an d read a n d re cite so as to h a v e th o r o u g h c o m p re h e n s io n . I
s h o u ld be at y o u r service. Y ou v irtu o u s , e ru d ite ones arc like necklaces o f p reciou s
s to nes a m o n g th e m o n k s . Y o u can a scend to h ig h seats an d ela b o ra te o n th e tru e
D h a r m a , a n d also g e n e rate w i s d o m o f y o u r o w n . ，T h e a d m in is tra tiv e m o n k s h o u ld
n o t ask t h e m to w o r k at w r o n g tim e s b u t s h o u ld help th e m so th a t th e y can d e v o te
th e m se lv e s to e x te n siv e learning.
uK a sy ap a, th e a d m in is tra tiv e m o n k sh o u ld affo rd e v e r y th in g to a m o n k w h o
tcaches th e D h a r m a , sh o u ld a c c o m p a n y h i m to cities an d villages a n d p e rsu a d e
p e o p le to h e a r h im e x p lain th e D h a rm a . H e sh o u ld p ro v id e a tea ch in g site an d
m a k e a h ig h , c u s h io n e d seat fo r h im . I f an y m o n k in te n d s to h u r t th e D h a r m a -
m a s tc r b y force, th e a d m in is tra tiv e m o n k s h o u ld m a k e p cace b e tw e e n th e tw o . H e
s h o u ld also g o fre q u e n tly to th e D h a r m a - m a s t e r to o ffer his praise.
" K a s y a p a , th e a d m in is tr a tiv e m o n k sh o u ld o fte n visit th e m o n k w h o keeps
th e p u re p rc c c p ts w ell, a n d w h o u n d e rs ta n d s th e m e a n in g o f th e V inay a, saying,
‘H o w s h o u ld I m a n a g e th in g s, so th at I m a y c o m m i t n o m is d e e d s an d d o n o h a r m
to m y s e lf o r o th e rs ? ’ T h e m o n k w h o u n d e rs ta n d s th e m e a n in g o f the V in ay a
s h o u ld o b s e rv e th e m in d o f th e a d m in istra tiv e m o n k a n d te a c h h im th e D h a r m a in
a cc o rd a n c c w i th his m a n a g e ria l d u tie s , a d v is in g h im h o w to act.
“T h e a d m in istra tiv e m o n k sh o u ld w i th all his h e a r t h a v e faith in, pa y h o m ­
age to, a n d m a k e o fferin g s to th o s e w h o k e e p th e p re c cp ts. A t th e p r o p e r tim es, he
s h o u ld g iv e m o n k s th e th in g s th e y n e e d a n d are e n title d to, a n d s h o u ld n o t conceal
th o se th in g s. W h e n h e d istrib u te s th in g s, he sh o u ld n o t d o so w ith an evil m in d ,
n o r in an i m p r o p e r w a y , n o r w i th a m in d full o f desire, h a tre d , ig n o ra n c e , or fear.
298 O n V ir t u e a n d D iscip lin e

“T h e a d m in is tra tiv e m o n k sh o u ld act in a cc o rd a n c e w ith th e law s o f the

Sariigha, n o t in a cc o rd a n c e w ith th e law s o f th e laity. H e sh o u ld act a c c o rd in g to
th e re g u la tio n s o f th e Sariigha, n o t a c c o rd in g to his o w n regulatio ns. H e sh o u ld
n o t b e free w ith th e th in g s w h i c h b e lo n g to th e S arhgha. H e sh o u ld c o n s u lt o th e r
m o n k s e v e n o n trifling m a tte rs a n d n o t dccidc m a tte rs a rb itra rily b y him self.
“A s re g a rd s the articles used, n a m e ly , the re sid e n t m o n k s ’ po ssessions, the
B u d d h a ’s possessio ns, a n d th e visiting m o n k s ， po ssessions, the a d m in istrativ e m o n k
sh o u ld differen tiate th e m . T h e re s id e n t m o n k s ，b e lo n g in g s s h o u ld n o t be g iv e n to
th e v isitin g m o n k s , a n d vice versa; an d the visiting an d re sid e n t m o n k s ’ po sses­
sions s h o u ld n o t be m ix e d up. T h e re sid e n t an d visiting m o n k s ，th in g s s h o u ld n o t
be m ix e d u p w i th th e B u d d h a ’s th in g s.
“ If th e re sid e n t m o n k s ，b e lo n g in g s are plentiful an d th e visiting m o n k s ne ed
s o m e o f th em , th e a d m in istrativ e m o n k sho uld s u m m o n the re sid e n t m o n k s and
ask t h e m to give a w a y s o m e o f th eir things. If th ey agree, th e n h e sh o u ld give
s o m e o f th e ir b e lo n g in g s to the visiting m o n k s.
" K asy a p a , i f th e stu p a o f th e T a th a g a ta n e e d s s o m e re p a ir o r is g o in g to ruin,
an d th e resident a n d visiting m o n k s h av e m a n y po ssessions, th e a d m in istra tiv e
m o n k sh o u ld s u m m o n th e m o n k s an d ask th e m to v o te w h e th e r to give a w a y
s o m e o f th e ir th in g s, saying, ‘T h e B u d d h a ’s stu p a is g o in g to ruin, an d needs
repair, w hile th e m o n k s ，possessions are plentiful. V irtu o u s m o n k s, it is tim e for
y o u to c o n se n t to m y re q u e st. If y o u c o n s e n t to give aw ay the th in g s yo u o b ta in e d
fr o m d o n o rs , I shall take a n d use th e m , w h e th e r th e y b e lo n g to th e re sid e n t m o n k s
o r th e v isitin g m o n k s , to re p a ir the B u d d h a ’s s t u p a / If the m o n k s v o te fo r it, the
a d m in is tra tiv e m o n k s h o u ld use [the p ro ce ed s fr o m selling] th e m o n k s ’ possessions
to re p a ir th e B u d d h a ’s stu pa. If the m o n k s v o te against it, th e a d m in istra tiv e m o n k
sh o u ld p e rsu a d e lay d e v o te e s to c o n trib u te m o n e y to repair th e B u d d h a ’s stupa.
uK a syap a, [h o w e v e r, ] i f th e B u d d h a ’s th in g s arc plentiful, th e a d m in istra tiv e
m o n k sh o u ld n o t d istrib u te th e m to th e re sid e n t o r v isitin g m o n k s . W h y not?
B ccause h e s h o u ld re g a rd th e B u d d h a ’s th in g s as the W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e . E v e r y ­
th in g b e lo n g in g to th e B u d d h a , e v e n a piece o f th rea d , has be en g iv e n to the
B u d d h a b y faithful d o n o rs. T h e re fo re , g o d s a n d h u m a n s c o n sid e r ev en su c h [triv­
ial] th in g s to be th e B u d d h a ’s stu pa, let alone p re c io u s th in g s. I f a g a r m e n t has
b e e n offere d to th e B u d d h a ’s stupa, it is b e tte r to let th e g a r m e n t be b l o w n b y th e
w in d , r a in e d u p o n , a n d w o r n o u t th a n to e x c h a n g e it fo r a p rc c io u s th in g . W h y ?
[First,] b ecause n o o n e can fix a p ric e o n a n y th in g in th e B u d d h a ’s stu pa; an d
secon d, beca u se th e B u d d h a n e ed s n o th in g .
uK a syap a, a g o o d , p u re a d m in is tr a tiv e m o n k sh o u ld n o t m ix u p th e b e lo n g ­
ings o f th e T h r e e Jew els. F u r th e rm o re , h e s h o u ld be c o n s ta n tly c o n t e n t w i th w h a t
he h im s e lf possesses a n d n o t th in k th a t th e b e lo n g in g s o f th e T h r e e Jew els are his.
uK a sy ap a, i f an a d m in is tra tiv e m o n k , o u t o f h a tre d , a rb itra rily o rd e rs a b o u t
a n d e m p lo y s as s e rv a n ts v irtu o u s p re c ep t-k e ep ers, w h o m p e o p le respectfully cir­
c u m a m b u la te , he will fall to a great hell b ccause o f his ha tre d . I f h e is b o rn as a
 A b id in g in G ood and N oble D eportm ent 299

h u m a n , h e will be s o m e o n e ’s slave, w ill be p u t to h a rd labor b y his m aster, a n d w ill

be w h ip p e d .
“ F u r th e rm o re , K a sy ap a, i f an a d m in istra tiv e m o n k a rb itra rily m a k e s n e w i
r e g u la tio n s stric te r t h a n th e o r d in a r y re g u la tio n s o b e y e d b y th e m o n k s , u p b ra id s
a n d p u n is h e s m o n k s [a cc o rd in g to his o w n n e w re g u latio n s], a n d m a k e s t h e m
w o r k at u n n e c e ss a ry tim es, h e w ill fall to th e m i n o r hell o f m a n y nails b c ca u se o f
th is ba d ro o t. W h e n he is in th is hell, his b o d y w ill be picrced b y h u n d re d s
o f th o u s a n d s o f nails, an d w ill blaze w ith fire, e m ittin g g reat flam es like a big
furnace.
“If th e a d m in is tra tiv e m o n k frig h te n s v irtu o u s p rc c c p t-k e e p c rs w ith serious
m a tte rs o r spe ak s to t h e m w ith h a tre d , he w ill be b o m in a hell w ith a to n g u e
five h u n d r e d leagues long. H is to n g u e w ill b e picrced b y h u n d re d s o f th o u s a n d s
o f nails, c ach o f w h ic h w ill give forth g re a t flam es.
" K a sy a p a , if th e a d m in istra tiv e m o n k b e g r u d g e s o r h id e s th e m o n k s ，b e­
lo n g in g s, o r d is trib u te s th e m at the w r o n g tim es, u n w illin g ly , b itterly , less than
he sh o u ld , n o t at all, o r to so m e a n d n o t to o th e rs, th e n bccause o f this bad
ro o t h e will fall to th e m ise rab le plane o f h u n g ry g h o s ts after d e ath, a n d will
ha v e o n ly pills m a d e o f d u n g to eat. A t th at tim e, o th e r h u n g r y g h o s ts will
s h o w h i m fo o d w i th o u t g iv in g it to h im . L o n g in g to p ro c u re th e foo d, h e w ill
gaze at it so in te n se ly th at his e y es w ill n o t b lin k at all. H e w ill be h u n g r y
an d th irsty , b u t w ill h a v e n o th in g to cat o r d rin k fo r h u n d r e d s o f th o u s a n d s
o f years. A fter that, he w ill s o m e tim e s o b ta in foo d, b u t th e fo o d w ill s o o n c h an g c
in to d u n g o r b lo o d y pus. W h y ? Because h e a bused his a u th o rity b y m a k in g it
difficult fo r re sp ec tc d p re c e p t-k c c p c rs to o b ta in fro m h im th e ir rig h tfu l possessions.
uK a sy ap a, th e a d m in istra tiv e m o n k w ill receivc a v e r y painful k a rm ic ret­
rib u tio n fo r a kalpa o r m o r e if he h im s e lf uses w i th o u t d istin c tio n th e p o ssessio ns
o f th e re s id e n t m o n k s , th e visiting m o n k s , o r th e B u d d h a . W h y ? B e ca u sc he has
c n c ro a c h c d o n th e p o ssessio n s o f th e T h r e e Jew els.
" K a s y a p a , i f an a d m in istra tiv e m o n k he ars such tra n sg re ss io n s e x p lain e d a n d
k n o w s th e y are tran sg ressio n s, b u t is recalcitrant an d h a te s th e p re c c p t-k e e p c rs, I
say that h e c a n n o t be r e f o r m e d ev en b y th e B u d d h a s , the W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e s.
" K a s y a p a , th ere fo re, an a d m in istra tiv e m o n k s h o u ld g u a rd w ell his deeds,
w o r d s , a n d t h o u g h t s after h e a r in g such tra n sg re ssio n s explained. H e s h o u ld p r o ­
tec t b o th h i m s e l f a n d oth e rs.
" K a s y a p a , an a d m in istra tiv e m o n k s h o u ld pre fe r to eat his o w n flesh ra th e r
th a n use w i th o u t d istin c tio n th e b elo n g in g s o f the T h re e Jew els, such as c lothing,
b o w ls, fo o d , a n d d r i n k . ”
M a h a k a s y a p a th e n said to th e B u d d h a , " W o r ld - H o n o r e d O n e , e x tra o rd in a ry
are th ese do ctrin es, w h ic h th e T a th a g a ta teachcs o u t o f kindness. H e speaks o f
sham elessn e ss to th o s e w h o are insen sitive to s h a m e an d sp e ak s o f re m o rs e to th o se
w h o are sen sitiv e to s h a m e .”
3< K) O n V ir t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

T h e n M a h a k a s y a p a a sk ed the B u d d h a , uW o r l d - H o n o r c d O n e , s o m e m o n k s de­
clare th e m s e lv e s to b e fo re st-d w e llin g m o n k s . W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e , h o w sh o u ld a
m o n k act to be callcd a fo re s t-d w e llin g m o n k ? H o w sh o u ld a m o n k act to be called
a fo o d - b e g g in g m o n k ? H o w sh o u ld a m o n k act to be called o n e w h o w e a rs a
g a r m e n t o f c a s t-o ff rags? H o w sh o u ld a m o n k act to be called one w h o d w e lls
u n d e r a tree? H o w s h o u ld a m o n k act to be callcd o n e w h o w a n d e r s in a g ra v e ­
yard? H o w sh o u ld a m o n k act to b e callcd o n e w h o lives in th e o p e n air?”
T h e B u d d h a replied to K a s y a p a , ‘‘A fo re s t-d w e llin g m o n k m u s t d e lig h t in a
s ec lu d c d fo rest a n d live in it. K a syap a, a seclu ded place is a placc w h e re th e re are
n o lo u d no ises a n d n o deer, tigers, w o lv e s , fly in g birds, ro b b e rs , c o w h c rd s , o r
s h e p h e rd s. S u c h a p lac c is suitable for a s ra m a n a 's D h a rm a - p ra c tic e . T h e re fo re ,
such a m o n k sh o u ld d e v o t e h im s e lf to D h a rm a - p ra c tic e in a sc c lu d c d place.
‘‘A m o n k sh o u ld th in k o f eig h t th in g s if he w ish e s to live in a sec lu d c d place.
W h a t arc th e eight?
T o r e n o u n c e th e b o d y ;
to r e n o u n c e life;
t o re lin q u is h m a te ria l possessions;
to leave all b e lo v e d places;
to die o n a m o u n ta in , like a deer;
to p e r f o r m th e deed s o f a fo re st-d w e lle r w h e n in a seclu dcd place;
to live b y th e D h a r m a ; an d
n o t to abid e in afflictions.
K a sy ap a, a m o n k w h o w is h e s to live in a s c c lu d c d forest s h o u ld c o n te m p la te th ese
e ig h t th in g s, a n d th e n h e s h o u ld g o to a sc c lu d e d place.
uK a sy ap a, after a fo rc s t-d w c llin g m o n k a rriv es at a sec lu d e d place, h e s h o u ld
fo llo w th e D h a r m a o f a fo re s t-d w e lle r an d p e r f o r m eig h t d e ed s to s h o w k in d n e ss
fo r all sen tien t bein gs. W h a t are th e eight?
⑴

T o b e n e fit sen tien t beings;

to g la d d e n s e n tie n t beings;
n o t to h a te s e n tie n t beings;
to b e s tra ig h tfo rw a rd ;
5

n o t to d is c rim in a te a m o n g sen tien t beings;

6

to b e c o m p lia n t w i th sen tien t beings;

乃

to c o n te m p la te all d h a rm a s; an d
to b e as p u re as spacc.
)

8
(

K is\-apa, a fo r e s t-d w e llin g m o n k sh o u ld p e r f o r m these eig h t deed s to s h o w k in d -

:;c ss fo r all s e n tie n t beings.
" K asy a p a , w h e n a fo re s t-d w e llin g m o n k arriv es at a seclu ded place, h e
 A b id in g in G o o d a n d N o b l e D e p o r t m e n t 3 01

s h o u ld th in k , ‘I h a v e c o m e to this re m o te placc alone, w ith n o c o m p a n io n . N o o n e

tea ch c s o r re b u k e s m e, w h e t h e r I practicc v irtu e o r n o n v i r tu e . ，H e s h o u ld th in k
fu rth e r, ‘H o w e v e r , th e re are go d s, d ra g o n s , gh o sts, spirits, a n d B u d d h as, th e
W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e s , w h o k n o w th a t I a p p ly m y m in d e n tire ly to d e v o tio n .
T h e y can be m y w itnesses. N o w I a m h e re to practice w h a t a fo re st-d w e lle r
sh o u ld . I f I bear malicc, I shall n o t b e free a n d at ease. N o w I a m in this re m o te
place all alone; I associate closcly w ith n o o n e an d h a v e n o th in g to call m y o w n . I
s h o u ld n o w b e w a r e o f feelings o f desire, h a tre d , a n n o y a n c c , and so fo rth . I sh o u ld
n o t b e like th o s e w h o are fo n d o f c ro w d s o r a tta c h e d to villages. If I am , I shall be
d e ce iv in g th e g o d s , d ra g o n s , g h o sts, an d spirits; an d th e B u d d h a s will n o t like
to see m e. I f I n o w fo llo w th e ri g h t p ra c tic e o f a fo rest-d w e ller, th e go d s, d ra g o n s,
g h o sts, an d spirits w ill n o t u p b ra id m e , a n d th e B u d d h a s will be glad to see m e .，
uK a sy ap a, w h e n a fo re s t-d w e llin g m o n k lives in a seclu ded placc, he s h o u ld
practice th e rig h t action s o f a forest-d w e ller:

to persist, w ith all his h e art, in k e e p in g th e p rccepts leading to liberation;

to m a in ta in w ell th e p re c e p ts o f e v e r y c a te g o ry , an d p u rify his o w n deeds,
w o r d s , a n d th o u g h ts ;
n o t to practice fla tte ry o r fraud;
to earn his liv e lih o o d in a p r o p e r w a y ;
to k e e p his m in d in clin ed to d h y an as;
to m e m o r iz e th e D h a r m a h e has heard;
to c u ltiv ate rig h t t h o u g h t diligently;
to m o v e t o w a r d passionless, qu iesccnt, an d ccssative nirv a n a ;
to b e afraid o f saiiisara;
to re g a rd th e five a g g re g a te s as e n em ies, th e fo u r e le m e n ts as p o iso n o u s
snakes, a n d th e six senses as u n in h a b ite d villages;
to b e a d e p t in d e v isin g skillful m eans;
to c o n te m p la te th e tw e lv e links o f d e p e n d e n t o rig in a tio n in o r d e r to p a rt
w i t h th e v ie w s o f e te rn a lism a n d nihilism ;
to c o n te m p la te th e e m p tin e ss o f a s e n tie n t b ein g, o f a self, o f a person al
identity, a n d o f a life;
to u n d e r s ta n d that th e d h a rm a s are d e v o id o f signs, a n d to practicc signlcss-
ness;
to decrease his action s g ra d u a lly a n d to practicc n o n ac tio n ;
to fear th e activities o f th e th re e realm s;
a lw ays to practicc th e D h a r m a diligently, as i f to save his he ad fro m being
b u rn e d ;
a lw a y s to strive w i th v i g o r an d n e v e r regress;
to c o n te m p la te th e re ality o f th e b o d y , th in k in g and c o n te m p la tin g so as to
k n o w th e origin o f suffering, to sev er th e causc o f suffering, to realize
th e cessation o f suffering, a n d to c ultiv ate a ssid u o u sly th e p a th leadin g
to th e cessatio n o f suffering;
302 O n V irtu e and D isc ipl in e

to p ra c tice k indn ess;

to ab id e securely in th e fo u r m in dfulnesses;
to a v o id u n w h o l e s o m e d h a rm a s a n d e n te r th e d o o r to w h o le s o m e dh arm a s;
to estab lish h im s e lf in th e fo u r rig h t efforts;
to m a s te r th e f o u r bases o f m ira c u lo u s p o w e rs;
to protect the fi ve good roots and to have a com m and o f the five powers;
to b e a w a k e n e d to th e sev en factors o f e n lig h te n m e n t;
to practice th e e ig h tfo ld n o b le p a th in dustriously;
to develop dhyana and samadhi; and
to d is c rim in a te all th e fo r m s o f d h a rm a s b y v irtu e o f w is d o m .

" K a s y a p a , a fo re s t-d w e llin g m o n k a d o rn s h im s e lf w i t h such d o c trin e s . H a v ­

ing a d o r n e d h im s e lf in this w a y , he s h o u ld live in a m o u n ta in g ro v e , a n d diligently
c u ltiv ate th e v a rio u s practices e v e n in th e early an d late parts o f th e n ig h t w i th o u t
sleep in g t h e n .23 H e sh o u ld a lw ays b e e a g e r to attain th e s u p r a m u n d a n e D h a rm a .
u Kasyapa, a forest-dwelling m o n k should constantly cultivate the path w h er­
ever he is; he should not decorate his body w ith tine clothes; he should gather
w ith e re d grass to c u sh io n his scat; h e sh o u ld n o t tak e th in g s fr o m re sid e n t o r
visiting m o n k s . In a secluded place, a fo re st-d w e llin g m o n k sh o u ld , in o r d e r to
practice th e n o b le p ath , b e c o n te n t w ith a n y g a r m e n t w h ic h can c o v e r his b o d y .
u Kasyapa, if a forest-dwelling m o n k goes to a city or a village to beg for
fo o d , h e s h o u ld th in k , ‘I h a v e com e to this city o r village f r o m m y seclu ded place
in o r d e r to be g for food; m y m i n d s h o u ld be n e ith e r d e p re ssed n o r elated, w h e t h e r
I o b ta in fo o d o r n o t. Ind eed, i f I a m n o t g iv e n foo d, I s h o u ld b e c o n te n t a n d re g a rd
it as th e k a r m ic re trib u tio n [for deeds] in m y p re v io u s lives, an d fro m n o w o n I
s h o u ld cultiv ate v irtu o u s deed s in d u s trio u s ly . ，F u r th e rm o re , h e sh o u ld r e m e m b e r
th a t e v e n th e T a th a g a ta d id n o t a lw a y s a cqu ire fo o d w h e n h e b e g g e d fo r it.
“ A fo re s t-d w e llin g m o n k sh o u ld a d o rn h im s e lf w i th th e D h a r m a b e fo re he
begs fo r fo o d in a city o r a village, a n d sh o u ld g o to b e g o n ly after h e has d o n e so.
H o w d o e s he a d o r n h im s e lf w i t h t h e D h a r m a ? H e s h o u ld n o t b e c o n ta m in a te d
w i th o r a ttac h ed to th e sig ht o f pleasant fo rm s , n o r be a n g ry at th e sig h t o f
u n p le a s a n t fo rm s, a n d likew ise w i t h pleasant o r u n p le asa n t so u n d s, o d o rs , tastes,
tex tu re s, a n d d h a rm a s . H e s h o u ld p ro te c t his sen se-o rg a n s fr o m b e in g a ttrac te d ,
an d sh o u ld gaze n o fa rth e r th a n several feet ahead. H e s h o u ld c o n tro l his m in d w ell
a n d ke ep in m in d th e D h a r m a h e has c o n te m p la te d . H e sh o u ld practicc b e g g in g for
fo o d w i th o u t defiling his m in d w ith foo d. H e sh o u ld beg fo r fo o d fro m d o o r to
d o o r w i th o u t feeling a tta c h m e n t to a placc w h e re h e is g iv e n fo o d o r feeling
a v ersio n t o w a r d a place w h e r e he is n o t. If he o b ta in s n o th in g after b e g g in g at ten
o r m o r e houses, he s h o u ld n o t be w o rrie d , an d s h o u ld th in k , T h e s e elders a n d
b r a h m i n s d o n o t g iv e m e fo o d fo r m a n y reasons. T h e y h ave n e v e r ev en t h o u g h t o f
m e. n o t to sp e a k o f g iv in g m e f o o d . ，K asyap a, a fo re st-d w e llin g m o n k w ill n o t b e
afraid w h e n b e g g i n g fo r fo o d i f h e can th in k in this w a y .
" K asy a p a , if a fo re st-d w e llin g m o n k sees m e n , w o m e n , b o y s , girls, o r an-
 A b i d i n g in G o o d a n d N o b l e D e p o r t m e n t 303

imals w hen begging for food, he should have kindness and compassion tow ard
them and think, ‘I strive w ith vigor so that I can m ake the v o w that sentient beings
w ho see m e and those w h o give m e food will all be reborn in heaven .，
uKasyapa, after a forcst-dwclling monk obtains food, w hether it is coarsc or
o f high quality, he should look for p oor people in the city or village and share half
the food w ith them . If he docs not see any p oor people, he should think, ‘I
[mentally] give the best o f the food I obtain to the sentient beings w h o m I do not
see w ith m y eyes. I am the d o n o r and they arc the recipients.’
uKasyapa, a forcst-dwclling m o n k should return to his sccludcd dwelling-
place with the food given to him and wash his hands and feet. According to the
pure rules o f deportm ent for a sramana, he should arrange a seat with grass he has
gathered, sit cross-lcggcd on the scat, and cat without attachment, pride, hatred,
or distraction. W hen he is about to cat, he should think, ‘In m y b o d y ，there are
eighty thousand w o rm s w hich will be sccurc and happy w hen they obtain the food
I cat. N o w I attract these w o rm s to m y following w ith food; but w hen I attain
supreme enlightenment, I shall attract them to m y following w ith the D h a rm a .，
"Kasyapa, w hen a forcst-dwclling m onk docs not have enough to cat, he
should think, ‘N o w that m y body is light, I can cultivate paticncc, purify evils,
and have less excrcm cnt and urine. M y m ind is light w h en m y body is light.
Therefore, I can sleep little and have no desire.' He should think in this way.
"Kasyapa, if a forcst-dwclling m o n k is given m u ch food, he should gladly
put a handful o f it on a clean rock, thinking, ‘I give this to the birds and beasts that
can cat it. I am the d o n o r and they arc the recipients.’
uKasyapa, after eating, a forcst-dwclling m onk should wash and dry his
bow l and rinse his hands and m outh. H e should put away his patched robe and
walk near his sccludcd placc, pondering tht ：form s o f dharmas.
uKasyapa, a forcst-dwclling m onk w ho is still an ordinary m an and has not
yet achieved the f ruit o f a sramana m ay be approached at times by tigers or wolves
as he cultivates the practices o f a forest-dweller. When he sees these beasts, he
should not fear them, but should think, ‘Sincc I camc to this sccludcd place, I have
relinquished m y body and life; therefore, instead o f being afraid, I should cultivate
kindness and rid m yself o f all evils and fears. If tigers or wolves kill m e and eat my
flesh, I should think that I am greatly benefited, for I shall get rid o f m y fragile
body and gain a stable one.24 I have no f ood to give to the tigers or wolves, bur they
will be com fortable and happy after they cat m y flesh. ，Kasyapa, a forcst-dwclling
m o n k should relinquish his body and life in this way w h en he follows the right
practicc o f a forcst-dwcllcr.
uKasyapa, w hen a forcst-dwclling m onk follows the right practice o f a forest-
dwcllcr, no n h u m an s m ay com c to his placc in either beautiful or ugly forms. 丨
T o w a rd such nonhum ans, he should generate neither love n or hate.
"Kasyapa, if the gods w ho have m et the Buddha com c to the placc o f a
forcst-dwclling monk and bring up many questions, the m o n k should explain to
them as best he can the doctrincs w hich he has studied. If he cannot give an answer
304 On V ir t u e a n d D is c ip lin e

to a difficult question w hich a god puts to him, he should not bccom c arrogant,
but should say ‘I have not learned much, but do not despise me. From n o w on I
shall cultivate and study the B uddha-D harm a more diligently, so that one day I
m av be [thoroughly] conversant with the B uddha-D harm a and able to answ er all
questions.’ H e should also urge the gods [to prcach], saying, ‘Please explain the
Dharm a to me. I shall hear and acccpt it.’ H e should also say gratefully, ‘M ay you
not refuse m y request!’
“M oreover, Kasyapa, a forcst-dwclling m onk who follows the right practicc
of a forcst-dwcllcr should cultivate well the thoughts o f a forcst-dwcllcr: ‘Just as
grass, trees, tiles, and stones have no [inner] master, self, or ow ner, so it is with
the body. T here is no self, no litc, no personal identity, no sentient being, no
contention. T he body arises from the com bination o f conditions. If I contemplate
it well, I shall sever all w ro n g view s.，A forcst-dwclling m onk should always think
o f the doctrinc o f emptiness, signlcssncss, and nonaction.
"Kasyapa, w hen a forcst-dwclling m onk follows the right practicc o f a forcst-
dwellcr, he will find that fruits, herbs, grass, and trees arise from the com bination
o f conditions and ccasc w ith their dispersion. These external things have no mas­
ter, no T or ‘m in e，，and no contention; they arise naturally and ccasc naturally, yet
there is no entity that arises or ccascs. Kasyapa, just as grass, trees, tiles, and stones
have no [inner] self, master, or ow ner, so it is with the body. There is no self, no
life, no personal identity, no sentient being, no contention. All dharm as arise from
the combination o f conditions and ccasc with their dispersion. In reality, no dhar­
m a arises or ccascs.
uKasyapa, a forcst-dwclling m o nk should cultivate this doctrinc w hen he
stays in a sccludcd placc. Kasyapa, a forcst-dwclling m onk w ho practiccs this
doctrinc will achicvc the fruit o f a sramana quickly if he follows the Sravaka-
vchiclc. If he is hindered from achieving the fruit o f a sramana in this life, he will
w ithout fail end all his defilements after seeing one Buddha, or tw o, or at m ost
three. If he follows the Bodhisattva-vchicle, he will obtain in this life the Realiza­
tion o f the N onarising o f D harm as and the D harm a o f N onobstruction, see future
Buddhas w ithout fail, and attain suprem e enlightenm ent quickly.”
W hen this discourse on the forcst-dwclling m onk was spoken, five hundred
m onks eliminated all their defilements and achieved m ental liberation.

VI
丁 he Buddha told Kasyapa, ‘‘W hat is a food-begging monk? Kasyapa, if a m onk
abides sccurcly in his past v o w to lead a monastic life practicing begging for food,
he will be single-m inded and will n o t use flattery or dcccit, will dcclinc all invita­
tions to dinner, will acccpt no food offered to a com m unity o f m onks, and will
adorn himself w ith dignity.
 A b id in g in G ood and N oble D eportm ent 305

“A food-begging m o n k should not think o f the flavor o f any dishes. W hen

he is given delicacies, he should w arn himself, thinking, ‘I am like an outcaste. It is
m y body and m ind w hich should be pure, not m y food and beverages. Why?
Becausc all delicious food, w h en eaten, will change into stinking, filthy, and
im pure excrcmcnt. I should not seek any fine f o o d .，
‘‘H aving subdued his m ind in this way, a food-begging m o n k should not
think w hen he begs for food from d oor to d oor in a city or a village: ‘It is a man,
not a w o m an , w h o gives m e fo o d ，；or ‘It is a w om an, not a man, w h o gives me
fo o d ’；or ‘It is a boy, not a girl, w h o gives m e food ，；or ‘It is a girl, not a boy, w h o
gives m e fo o d ，；or ‘I should be given dclicacies, not coarse foo d ，；or ‘I should be
given good food, not bad fo o d ，；or ‘It is the tim e to give m e to o d ，；or ‘It is not the
tim e to give m e fo o d ，；or ‘It should be easy, not difficult, to r me to obtain foo d ，；
or ‘I should be given food quickly, not slow ly ，；o r ‘I should be respected and not
despised w hen I enter a village ，；or ‘I should be given freshly cooked food, not
leftover fo o d ，；or ‘I should acquire food from the rich, not from the p o o r ，；or ‘M en
and w o m en should w clcom e m e .’ Kasyapa, a food-begging m onk should not have
these unw holesom e ideas.
<4Kasyapa, a food-begging m o n k should adorn him self w ith the rules o f
food-begging: w h en begging for food, he should not feel sad or joyful, w hether he
is given food or not; he should not consider w heth er the food he is given is coarsc
or o f high quality. W hy? Because m any sentient beings perform evil deeds ow ing
ro their attachm ent to delicacies, and as a result they fall to the miserable planes of
hcll-dwellers, h u ngry ghosts, or animals. T hose w h o are content are not greedy
tor delicacies. Therefore, a food-begging m on k should not seek high-quality food
but acccpt coarse food. H e should not let his sense o f taste becom e attached to
dclicacies, but should feel content w ith any kind o f food. Even w h en he is given
the coarsest food, he should be content w ith it. Thus, he will be reborn in heaven
or as a human after death and, if he is reborn in heaven, he will [then] have celestial
dclicacies.
uKasyapa, a food-begging m onk should subdue his m ind by detachmcnt
from delicacies. H e should not be unhappy even if he eats nothing but beans for
seven days. W hy? Because he should eat [only] to live. H e is able to cultivate the
path after eating; he should eat for this reason.
uKasyapa, if a food-begging m onk obtains a bow l o f food in a proper way,
it is a proper material support. T he m onk should share it with the monks w ho
cultivate pure conduct.
uKasyapa, w hen a food-begging m onk is sick and has no food to cat because
he has no attendant to beg food for him, he should subdue his m ind in this way: ‘I
am alone w ith o u t any companion, for I have left the household life. T he D harm a
is m y com panion, so I should keep the D harm a in mind. N o w I suffer from
illness. I should think o f the D h arm a I have heard before, for the W orld-H onored
O ne said that m onks should keep the D harm a in mind. W hat should I think of? I
should contem plate the body as it is. H aving contemplated the body as it is, it is
306 O n V i r t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

quite possible that a wise person can achieve the first dhyana if he is single-minded.
T hose w h o acquire the jo y o f dhyana can live on dhyana and becom e cheerful in
m ind for one day, tw o days, or even seven days [w ithout food].5
"Kasyapa, if a food-begging m o n k does not achieve dhyana w hen he prac­
ticcs in this way, he should practice m ore diligently and abide sccurely in w hole­
som e dharmas. As m any people know , gods, dragons, and spirits will offer food
to such a person as a result o f his freedom from the yoke [of attachm ent to food].
"Kasyapa, w hen a food-begging m onk cannot go o u t to beg for food bccause
o f heavy rains or strong w ind and dust, he should live on kindness and adorn
him self w ith it; he should abide securely in and ponder upon the D harm a he
practiccs. If he has nothing to eat for tw o or three nights, he should think, ‘There
arc many sentient beings w h o fall to the plane o f hungry ghosts because they have
perform ed evil karmas. T hey are miserable; for a hundred years they do not even
have saliva to w et their throats. N ow , I abide sccurely in D harm a-doors. A lthough
physically and mentally I am weak, still I can bear hunger and thirst. I should
cultivate the noble path industriously and not regress from it.’
^Kasyapa, a food-begging m o n k should not associate closcly with laypcoplc,
w h eth er they are m en, w om en, boys, or girls.
"Kasyapa, if a food-begging m o n k asks a lay devotee to rem o v e dirt from
his food, the m onk should teach the D harm a to h im while sitting there, until the
food is clean and given back to him. T hen he should rise from his seat and go
away.
uKasyapa, a food-begging m o n k should not be pretentious. H o w m ay he be
pretentious? He is pretentious if he says to others, ‘T o d ay the food I have begged is
coarse and inadequate, and yet I am sharing it w ith m any people. Therefore, I have
eaten little, and being hungry and thirsty, I will becom e emaciated and w eak .，
Kasyapa, a food-begging m o n k should avoid such pretension.
"Kasyapa, a food-begging m o n k should be detached from all things. H e
should, w ith o u t feeling u nhappy or glad, accept any food put in his bowl, w hether
coarse or o f high quality, little or much, pure or impure. H e should always purify
his m ind and contem plate the form s o f dharmas. H e acccpts food in order to
survive and practice the noble path.
^Kasyapa, if a food-begging m o n k is not given any food and leaves w ith his
em pty bowl in hand after he begs food from d oo r to door in a city or village, he
should think, ‘Even the Tathagata, w h o has great, aw esom e virtue, w h o re­
nounced the throne of a universal m onarch and left the household life, and w h o
has eradicated all evils and fulfilled all w holesom e dharmas, left a village w ith his
em pty bo w l in hand after he had begged for food. H o w can I, w h o have few
virtues and do not plant good roots, not come back with m y bow l em pty? T here­
fore, I should not be grieved. Why? Because it is absolutely impossible that the
m onks w h o do not plant good roots can obtain food, coarse or o f high quality.
N o w , I am not given any food, probably because dem ons or their messengers have
prevented brahm ins and laym en from giving m e food. Therefore, I should be
 A b id in g in G ood and N oble D eportment 307

diligent in cultivation so as to stay away from the four dem ons and eradicate all
defilements. If I cultivate the path assiduously, neither Papiyan, the king o f de­
m ons, nor d em o n s，messengers can get in m y w a y .’
uKasyapa, a food-begging m onk should uphold the noble practices in this
way. ’’

VII

T he B uddha told Kasyapa, “A m o n k w h o w ears a garm ent o f cast-off rags should

think w h en he picks up rags, ‘I pick up cast-off rags from garbage because I am
sensitive to the shame [of nakedness], not because I w ant to adorn m yself w ith a
garm ent; because I have to protect m yself from the wind, the sun, mosquitos,
gnats, and harm ful objects; and because I abide securely in the teachings o f the
Buddha, not because I seek anything pure and fine .，
‘‘H e should engender tw o kinds o f thoughts w hen he is picking u p rags.
W hat are the two? O n e is the thought o f contentm ent and the other is the thought
o f convenient support.
“Furtherm ore, he should engender tw o [other] kinds o f thoughts: one is the
th ought o f giving up arrogancc and the other is the thought o f upholding the noble
practices.
“ M oreover, he should engender tw o [other] kinds o f thoughts: one is the
th ought o f not adorning the body and the other is the thought o f purifying the
mind.
‘‘Fu rth erm o re，if a m onk w h o wears a garm ent o f cast-off rags stops picking
up rags from a rubbish heap w hen he sees his relatives or friends and thinks,
‘Perhaps they will scold me, saying, “You are a dirty person ，，，，Kasyapa, I say that
this m o n k is not pure in conduct. W hy? Because the m ind o f a m onk w h o wears a
garm ent o f cast-off rags should be as firm as a rock, so that nothing external can
penetrate or m ove it.
uKasyapa, a m o n k w h o w ears a garm ent o f cast-off rags should w ash the
cast-off rags until they are clean, dye them after they are washed, and then make a
patched robe with them . H e should patch them up well and wear the patched robe
carefully so that it will not burst at the scams.
uKasyapa, to free him self from desire, a m o n k w h o w ears a garm ent of
cast-off rags should w ear it w ith constant contemplation upon the im purity [of the
body]. T o free him self from hatred, he should wear it with kindness. T o tree
him self from ignorance, he should w ear it with contemplation upon the twelve
links o f dependent origination. T o eradicate all afflictions, he should wear it w ith
right thought. T o k n o w the [nature o f the] six senses, he should w ear it while
protecting his sense-organs from being attracted. T o m ake gods, dragons, and
spirits happy, he should w ear it w ith no flattery or deceit.
308 O n V ir t u e a n d D isc ip lin e

^Kasyapa, w h y is such a garm ent called a garm ent of cast-off rags? Kasyapa,
ius: as a repugnant corpse that no one w ants to o w n is usually abandoned, so is a
garm ent o f cast-off rags. It has nothing to do with [the notions of] T and ‘m in e .’ It
is easy to obtain. It was acquired in a proper way, not by begging or currying
favor w ith others. It was discarded as rubbish and docs not belong to anyone.
Therefore, it is called a garm ent o f cast-off rags.
"Kasyapa, a garm ent o f cast-off rags symbolizes the D harm a-banncr, be­
causc it is the sign o f the Great Rsi; it symbolizes one’s caste, bccause it is the sign
ot the castc o f saints; it symbolizes o n c ，
s maintenance o f a noble nature, bccause it is
the sign o f the noble practices; it symbolizes o n e ’s conccntrated [right] thought,
because it is the sign o f w holesom e dharmas; it symbolizes one's skillful protection
o f precepts, because it is the sign o f discipline; it symbolizes that one moves
tow ard the doors [of liberation], bccausc it is the sign o f dhyana; it symbolizes that
one’s m ind abides securcly, bccause it is the sign o f wisdom; it symbolizes that
o n e ’s body belongs to nothing, because it is the sign o f liberation; it symbolizes
o n e ’s compliance w ith the D harm a, because it is the sign o f the know ledge and
awareness d rived from liberation.
, "Kasyapa, thus, m o n k s who wear garments o f cast-off rags achicve great
blessings. T hey do not long for anything. T hey are not greedy and are attached to
nothing. T hey can free their minds from pride and abandon the heavy burdens [of
afflictions].
uKasyapa, becausc o f his contentm ent, gods, dragons, ghosts, and spirits all
like to see a m o n k w h o wears a garm ent o f cast-off rags.
"Kasyapa, if a m o n k w h o w ears a g arm en t o f cast-off rags enters dhyana,
then Sakra, Brahm a, and the four deva kings will kneel upright before him , join
their palms, and b o w w ith their heads at his feet, let alone other, m in o r gods.
uKasyapa, if an evil m onk strives to procurc a garm ent to bcdcck himself,
outw ardly manifesting pure conduct but inw ardly being full of desire, hatred, and
ignorancc, then the gods, dragons, and spirits will not go to his placc to pay
hom age and m ake offerings to him. W hy? Bccause they k n o w that this m o n k
strives to acquirc a garm ent to bedcck him self instead o f [striving to] eliminate the
filth o f his m ind and mental faculties; k n o w in g this, they avoid him.
"Kasyapa, you saw that Sramancra Q unda picked up im pure, stinking, and
dirty cast-off rags [for his garment] and, after having begged for food, went to the
Lake o f N o Burning Afflictions in order to wash the rags there. At that time, gods
w ho lived by the lake camc to greet him and bo w ed w ith their heads at his feet.
T hose gods all like to be clean and pure, but they took from Sramancra C unda the
im pure cast-off rags he had picked up and washed out the dirt for him, then bathed
with the same water. T hose gods knew that C unda kept the pure precepts, could
e n te r various dhyanas, and had great, aw esom e virtue; therefore, they came to
wclconic and salute him . /
"Kasyapa, you saw th at w h e n Brahm acarin Virtue desired to go to the Lake
o f N o Burning Afflictions after having begged for food in a pure, clean garm ent,
 A b id in g in G o o d a n d N o b le D e p o r t m e n t 309

the gods w h o lived there stood fi ve miles25 from the four sides o f the lake and
prevented him from coming near it, for fear that he might defile the lake w ith his
im pure leftover food.
uKasyapa, n o w y o u h av e seen these things. Because o f his saintly right
action and aw esom e virtue, Sramanera C unda received this reward: the gods took
his unclean cast-off rags and washed them , then bathed w ith the same water.
H ow ever, those same gods stood five miles from the lake to prevent Brahm acarin
.. . • 一 --- '
Virtue fro m com ing close to it. K asyapa/ who, will not cultivate and study the
noble Dharm a after hearing o f these events? Both gods and hum ans bo w w ith their
heads at the feet o f the saints and pay hom age and m ake offerings to them .
Kasyapa, it is in order to seek such saintly virtue that m onks w ear garm ents o f
cast-off rags.
"Kasyapa, a m o n k w h o w ears a g arm en t o f cast-off rags should securely
abide in the noble practices and should not be w orried. [Seeing] his garm ent o f
cast-off rags, he should generate the thought o f a stupa, the th ought o f the W orld-
H o no red O ne, the thought o f the renunciation o f the world, and the thought o f
the nonexistence o f T and ‘m in e .，O n ly after such contemplation should he w ear a
garm ent of cast-off rags and subdue his m ind accordingly. Bccausc he is pure in
mind, he is pure in body; it is not true that bccausc he is pure in body, he is pure in
mind. Kasyapa, a m o n k should therefore purify his m ind and not decorate his
body. Why? In light o f the B uddha-D harm a, it is due to mental purity that a m onk
is said to have cultivated pure conduct.
"Kasyapa, if a m o n k w h o wears a garm ent o f cast-off rags can learn in this
way, he is following in m y footsteps and yours also.
"Kasyapa, as you can w ear such a coarse garm ent, you are content w ith the
cultivation o f the noble practices.
"Kasyapa, w h en you take walking cxcrcisc in y o u r upper garm ent, leaving
your patched robe on a couch or a seat, hundreds o f thousands o f gods pay
hom age to y o u r patched robe, w hich, th o u g h used to co v er the body, is scented
by [the fragrance of] discipline, dhyana, and w isdom . Kasyapa, you should k n o w
that even y our robe is so highly esteemed and honored, let alone yourself.
uKasyapa, I renounced the throne o f a universal m onarch and left the house­
hold life to fellow the path. Before, I w o re garm ents m ade o f the m ost w onderful
silk and cotton, but n o w I am content w ith following th e noble practices. For the
sake of others, I gave up m y fine clothes to w ear a garm ent made o f rags picked up
in graveyards. Future m onks should follow m y example, w hen they hear o f this
deed o f mine.
"Kasyapa, you form erly had a fine, golden, silk garm ent, and w h en I asked
you for it, you gave it to me. Kasyapa, it was out o f compassion for you that I
accepted your garm ent, not because I coveted y our garm ent or because I w anted to
bedeck m y b ody w ith it.
"Kasyapa, there arc evil m onks w h o follow neither m y w ay n o r yours.
Engulfed in desire, they collcct m any m onastic robes and bowls, hoard food and
31" O n V ir t u e and D isc iplin e

drink w ithout giving anything away, and accumulate gold, silver, lapis lazuli, ricc,
cows, goats, chickens, pigs,' donkeys, carriages, and farm tools. T h ey seek and
hoard articles w hich a lay family needs.
“T he wise can increase their w holesom e dharmas, even if they lead a lay life,
but the ignorant can never achieve any w holesom e dharm as, even if th ey leave the
household life. H o w can wise laymen increase their w holesom e dharmas? Kasyapa,
som e m onks put their m onastic robes around their necks, do not perform the
deeds befitting a sramana, are occupicd w ith m any secular things and bound in
various ways, and seek fine food and clothing. A fter they don their monastic
robes, lay devotees salute and respect th em on sight; give them clothing, food and
drink, bedding, and mcdicinc; w clcom e th em w h en they arrive; and see th em off
when they leave. Kasyapa, lay devotees can do such w holesom e things, while
those m o n k s cannot. Why? Because those m onks seek m any things they do not
need and give nothing to others.
“ [H ow ever 」 Kasyapa, in the future there will be monks, w h o o w n m an ,
robes, bowls, and other things and are saluted, esteemed, and praised on sight by
lay devotees. W hy? Bccausc [in that age] the lay devotees will think, ‘T he monks
have been given m any things by others, and they m ay give m e som e o f them fror.i
tim e to time. ’
"Kasyapa, [in the future] there will [also] be m onks who keep the precepts.
Seeing the faults, and evils o f the world, they will cultivate w holesom e dharm as
assiduously and rid themselves o f all defilements as urgently as if to savf. their
heads from being burned; they will be contcnt and seldom engage in worldly
activities; they will practicc the D harm a diligently for their o w n benefit and break
w ith all people w h o arc attached to the sources o f evil. Nevertheless, not a single
lay devotee will go to see those virtuous m onks, associate closely w ith them ,
salute, esteem, or praise them. W hy? Because the lay devotees [then] will be
flippant and shallow. T h ey will see only the benefit o f this life, not that o f future
lives. T hey will think: ‘I can get no profit from these virtuous m onks. W hy should
I associate closely w ith them , or salute, revere, and extol them ?’ O n ly p oor people,
those w h o have som e good roots, and those w h o arc bound to revere them
becausc o f a connection in their past lives will associate closely w ith these m onks,
salute, revere, and extol them, and consider them as good friends.
"Kasyapa, tw o kinds o f persons will be pleased w ith w hat I have said [in this
sutra]. W hat are the tw o? T hose w h o perceive the four noble truths and those w h o
pcrccivc the faults and evils o f sarhsara. Furthermore, there are tw o [other] kinds:
those w h o strive to free themselves from the four yokes and those w h o w ish to
achicvc th e fruits o f a sramana. M oreover, there are tw o [other] kinds: those w ho
contem plate karmic results wholeheartedly and those w h o wish to understand the
meaning o f the form s o f dharmas.
"Kasyapa, n o w I elose the door on all lazy persons; namely, those w h o are
aware neither o f karm a n o r o f karm ic results; those w h o have no good deport­
ment; those w hose blindness to [consequent] faults and evils in future lives is as
 A b id in g in G o o d a n d N o b le D e p o r t m e n t 311

im m utable as adamant; those who perceivc only benefits for this life, not for future
lives; and those w h o have not a single thought to m ove tow ard the doors to
liberation.
uKasyapa, n o w I say that evil m onks should not wish to hear this doctrinc
explained or to com c across it, [bccause] w hen they hear it explained, they, k n o w ­
ing their o w n [evil] deeds, will not understand the profound meaning o f it but
instead will slander it, saying, ‘It is not w hat the Buddha tcaches. It is concocted
by a com m entator or spoken by dem ons ’；and they will also try to convincc others
o f this. In this way, those evil m onks will hurt and defile both themselves and
others, and they cannot benefit anyone.”
Then Mahakasyapa said to the Buddha, "W orld-H onored O ne. out o f com ­
passion as great as that o f all Buddhas [combined], the Tathagata has in this sutra
described h o w the m onks w h o have devoted themselves to cultivation [of the
D harm a] achievc com m and o f all dharmas. W orld-H onored O ne, if sentient beings,
after hearing this sutra explained, believe, com prehend, read, and rccitc it, and are
inclined to follow the real D harm a, it should be k n o w n that the Buddhas have
already acccptcd them into their follow ing.”
T hen the B uddha told Ananda, “If sentient beings can acccpt and uphold
this sutra, it is bccause they have already planted good roots in the prcscncc o f past
Buddhas. N ow , if such good m en and good w o m en wish to read and rccitc this
siitra w ith tho rou g h com prehension in order to achicvc liberation, they will surely
be able to eradicate all their defilements and attain nirvana by this doctrinc, w hether
they study it as m em bers o f the order or as laypeople.”
A nanda said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, I wish to uphold this
sutra. W hat should it be named, and h o w should it be upheld?”
T h e Buddha told Ananda, “This sutra is nam ed ‘T he Choicc o f All D har-
m a-Jewels，’or ‘Abiding in G ood and N oble D ep o rtm en t，’or ‘Accepting Precept-
Keepers into the O rd e r，’or ‘An Analysis o f Precept-Brcakers,’ or ‘T he Prccious
B rid g e s/26 or ‘A Collection o f Treasurcs, ’ or ‘T he T rcasurc-S tore/ or ‘T he Precious
D harm a D oors. ’ ”
After M ahakasyapa finished asking [the B uddha about] “T he Sutra o f the
Prccious Bridges of the M a h a y a n a , t h e m onks were ovcijoycd to hear w hat the
B uddha had faught and began to practice it with veneration.

NOTES

1. T h is g ro u p and th ose in th e fo llo w in g list (up to and in clu din g the eigh tfold noble
path) m a k e u p the th irty -se v en w ay s to e n lig h te n m e n t.
2. T h e p hrase “ cultivate w e ll the seven factors o f e n lig h te n m e n t” o ccu rs here, b u t it is
e v id e n tly m isp lac e d in this g r o u p in g a n d is re p e a te d later. W e h av e o m itte d it.
312 O n V ir tu e and D is c ipl in e

3. These are the four reliances w hich guide a Buddhist. See N um erical Glossary.
4. Also called the eight w orldly winds.
5. As explained at length below , if a religious person accepts offerings from donors
b u t docs n o t o b s e rv e th e preccpts, the k a rm ic blessings that w o u ld h av e a ccrued to th e d o n o r
(had th e recipient k e p t the precepts) arc lost.
6. Probably, the nirvana o f the tw o vehicles.
7. Probably, the teachings o f the tw o vehicles.
8. This is probably a hyperbole.
9. D hy a n a in the state o f infinite spacc, in the state o f limitless consciousness, in the
state o f n o th in g n e ss , and in th e state o f n eith er th in k ing n o r n o n th in k in g .
10. T h ey are: Strcam -enterer (srotdpanna), O ncc-rcturncr (sakrdd^drnin), N o n rc tu rn e r
(atid^drnm), and Arhat. See Glossary.
11. This probably means dw elling in the four im m easurable dhyanas.
12. T h e six thoughts to dw ell upon: the B uddha, the D harm a, the Samgha, the
precepts, giving, a n d th e jo y s o f heaven.
13. T he six kinds o f reverent unity in a monastery: bodily unity in worship, oral unity
in chanting, m e n ta l u n ity in faith, m o ra l u n ity in o bse rv in g the precepts, doctrinal u n ity in
v ie w a n d e x p lanation , a n d e c o n o m ic u n ity in the c o m m u n a l g o o d s.
14. P ro b a b ly the six paramitas.
15. Also called the four yokes. See Numerical Glossary.
16. Som e say ninety-six: allegedly the six founders o f heterodox schools, each with
fifteen su b-sch o o ls. T h e edito r confesses his ig n o ran c e o f the n am e s a n d d octrincs o f the
n in e ty -six schools, as he has n ev e r e n c o u n te re d a n y sourcc p ro v id in g this in fo rm a tio n .
17. In this and the follow ing 15 paragraphs, the opening scntcncc is repeated at the end
o f th e p ara g ra p h . In th e in te res t o f conciseness, w c h av e e lim inated the repetition.
18. This refers to learning w hich does not further o n e ’s w isd o m or compassion, or
w hich is not conducivc to devotion or enlightenm ent.
19. This probably refers to the sequential and reverse orders o f the twelve links o f
d e p e n d e n t orig in atio n.
20. In this section, the Buddha, w hose teachings o f equality stridently contradict the
p re v a le n t caste system o f India, exp e d ie n tly utilizes th at v ery sy ste m to m a k e a p o in t a b o u t
evil sram an as. T h e B u d d h a w e lc o m e d m e m b e rs o f all fou r castes and o utcastes in to his
fo llo w in g , w ith o u t d iscrim in atio n.
21. Literally, " n e w -b o rn ."
22. A knife is obviously an instrum ent w hich could be used for surgical purposes. T he
a pplication o f a cudgel for m cdical tre a tm e n t, th o u g h e x tre m e ly rare, seem s also to exist in
folk m cdicinc.
23. T h e night is divided into three periods o f three hours cach. A forest-dweller, in
line w ith this passage, sh o u ld sleep o nly d u rin g the m id d le period.
24. This probably denotes the adam antine D harm a-body.
25. Literally li, S . T he Chinese li is m uch shorter than a mile, but lacking an exact
e qu iv alen t, w e h av e used th e w o r d ‘m ile ’ here.
26. “B ridges” leading to the other shore, nirvaiia.
O n Pure Land
 17 不動如來會

The Dharm a-Door of Praising Tathagata

Aksobhya^ Merits

T hus have I heard. O nce the B uddha was dwelling on M o u n t Grdhrakuta near
Rajagrha, together with an assembly o f twelve hundred fifty great m onks. All
these m onks were w ell-know n Arhats w h o had extinguished all defilements and
suffered afflictions no m ore. T hey w ere liberated in m ind and in w isd o m ,1 and
w ere as free and unhindered as great,dragons. T hey had done w hat should be done
and abandoned the heavy burdens. T hey had benefited themselves and severed all
bonds o f existence. T hey were conversant w ith the true teaching and had rcachcd
the other shore. [Among them, ] only Ananda remained in the stage o f learning.
At that time, the Venerable Sariputra rose from his seat, uncovered his right
shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms tow ard the Buddha, and said,
•‘W o rld-H onored O ne, h o w did Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas o f the past resolve to
pursue suprem e enlightenm ent, cultivate all pure deeds, and w ear the arm or of
vigor, adorning themselves w ith merits? H o w did those Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas
w ear the arm o r o f vigor, w hich enabled them to attain nonrcgression from the
pursuit o f suprem e enlightenment? M ay the utterly kind W orld-H onored O ne
reveal and expound their deeds, their vows, and their engendering o f bodhicitta.
W orld-H onored O ne, those Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas, for the benefit, peace, and
happiness o f gods and hum ans, exerted themselves to cultivate all pure deeds and
w ore the arm o r o f vigor; thereby they rendered benefit, pcacc, and happiness to all
sentient beings, and illuminated the B uddha-D harm a for Bodhisattvas o f the pre-

Sutra 6, Taisho 310, pp. 101-112; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.

316 O n P ure L and

sent and future. By praising m erits and obtaining good roots, they causcd the
Bodhisattvas [of the present and future] to learn and cultivate diligently [the insight
into] suchncss, the D harm a-naturc, and to attain suprem e enlightenm ent w ithout
fail after hearing the B u ddha-D harm a explained.”
T he B uddha said, "Excellent! It is cxccllcnt, Sariputra, that you can ask me
about past2 Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas’ pure deeds, their illum ination, their great
arm or, and their praising o f m erits for the sake o f em bracing Bodhisattva-
M ahasattvas o f the future. N o w , listen attentively and think in accordancc w ith the
truth. I will explain this to y o u .”
Sariputra said, “Yes, W orld-H onored O ne, I am willing and glad to listen.”
The B uddha told Sariputra, "A thousand w orlds from here to the cast, there
is a B uddha-land named W onderful Joy, w here Tathagata Great Eyes, the W orthy
O ne, the Pcrfcctly Enlightened One, oncc appeared to expound the subtle, w o n ­
derful D h arm a to Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas, beginning w ith the six paramitas.
"Sariputra, at that time, a m o n k rose from his scat, uncovered his right
shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palm s tow ard the Buddha, and said,
‘W o rld -H o n o red C)nc, I am determ ined to follow the w ay o f the Bodhisattva as
tau g h t by the B u d d h a .，
‘‘T h at B uddha said, ‘N o w , good man, you should know that the way of the
Bodhisattva is very difficult to follow. W hy? Bccausc a Bodhisattva bears no
malicc against sentient beings .，
“T hereupon, the m o n k said to the Buddha, ‘W o rld-H onored O ne, I n o w
engender su p rem e bodhicitta. I will seek all-knowing w isd o m by doing aw ay w ith
crookcdncss and dcccit, and by invariably speaking the truth. If I bear malicc
against sentient beings from n o w until m y attainm ent o f suprem e enlightenm ent, I
will be disobeying all the Buddhas, Tathagatas, who arc now expounding the
D harm a in numberless, countlcss, boundless worlds.
‘‘‘W orld -H o n o red O ne, n o w I have resolved to pursue all-know ing w isd o m
and dcdicatc m y self to this. If, during this pursuit, I feel any inclination to be a
Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha, I will be dccciving all Buddhas.
‘" W o rld -H o n o re d O ne, now I have resolved to pursue all-knowing w isdom
and am dcdicatcd to this. If I generate any desire, hatred, or ignorancc to w ard
sentient beings, or am prone to stupor, arrogancc, or m isdeeds from n o w until m y
attainm ent o f suprem e enlightenment, I will be dccciving all B uddhas.3
‘‘ ‘W o rld-H onored One, now I have resolved to pursue all-know ing w isdom
and am firmly dcdicatcd to this goal. If I generate any doubt, any intention to kill
or steal, any w ro n g view or im p u re deed; or if I am p ro n e to lying, duplicity, or
harsh language; or if I hurt others in o th er w ays from n o w until m y attainment o f
suprem e enlightenment, I will be dccciving all B uddhas .，
<lSariputra, at that time, ccrtain other m onks thought, ‘After he has first
brought forth bodhicitta, this Bodhisattva-M ahasattva will w ear the arm o r o f
vigor, and will never be m o v ed by hatred or the like to w ard any sentient b eing .，
Sariputra, then, bccausc o f their thought, the Bodhisattva was callcd A ksobhya4 o f
 P r a i s i n g T a t h Ag a t a A k s o b h y a ' s M e r i t s 317

the Land o f W onderful Joy. W hen Tathagata Great Eyes, the W orthy O ne, the
Perfectly Enlightened One, saw that this Bodhisattva had obtained the name 'A kso­
bhya, ! he rejoiced over the nam e and acclaimed it as excellent. T h e four deva
kings, Sakra, and Brahm a, u pon hearing his name, also rejoiccd over it.
"Sariputra, in that B u d d h a’s presence, Bodhisattva-M ahasattva A ksobhya
continued, ‘W orld-H onored One, n o w I have resolved to pursue all-knowing
w isdom and am dedicated to the attainm ent o f suprem e enlightenment. If my
practice, from n o w until m y attainm ent o f suprem e enlightenm ent, is ever con­
trary to these words, then I will be deceiving all the Buddhas, the Tathagatas, w ho
expound the Dharm a in numberless, countless worlds.
“ ‘W orld-H on o red O ne, n o w I have m ade this great decision and have dedi­
cated m yself to it. If I say anything that is not in harm o n y w ith the recollection o f
the B uddha or w ith all-know ing w isdom from n o w until m y attainm ent o f en­
lightenm ent, then I will be deceiving all Buddhas.
“ ‘W o rld -H o n o red O ne, n o w I have b ro u g h t forth this aspiration and am
dedicated to it. If I rem ain in the household life instead o f renouncing it in any
lifetime from n o w until m y attainment o f suprem e enlightenm ent, then I will be
disobeying all Buddhas.
‘‘‘W orld -H o n o red O ne, n o w I have resolved to pursue all-know ing wis­
dom. If I leave the household life in every lifetime, but do not beg for food, take
only one meal a day, practicc temperance in eating, . . . limit m y clothing to the
three garm ents,3 w ear garm ents o f cast-off rags, sit anywhere, practice never lying
d ow n, live in a secluded forest, rest under a tree, sit in the open air, or live am ong
graves from n o w until m y attainm ent o f suprem e enlightenm ent, th en I will be
deceiving all Buddhas.
“ ‘W orld-H onored O ne, n o w I have resolved to ^pursue great enlightenm ent
and am so dedicated. If I cannot attain unim peded eloquence to expound the
w onderful D harm a from n o w until m y attainment o f all-knowing wisdom, then I
will be deceiving all Buddhas.
‘‘‘W orld -H o n o red O ne, n o w I have thus resolved. If I do not rem ain digni­
fied in standing, sitting, and w alking from n o w up to m y attainm ent o f supreme
enlightenm ent, then I will be deceiving all the innum erable Buddhas.
'W orld -H o n o red O ne, n o w I have thus resolved. If I com m it any m ajor
offense against sentient beings, or lie, or speak.in^a worldly or boisterous manner,
or have any inclination to defeat others in argum ent fro m n o w until m y attainment
o f all-know ing wisdom, then I will be deceiving all the countless Buddhas.
‘‘‘W o rld -H o n o red O ne, n o w I have resolved to pursue all-know ing w isdom
and am firmly dedicated to the attainment o f suprem e enlightenment. If, w h en
expounding the D harm a to w om en, I do not keep in m ind impermanence, suffer­
ing, emptiness, or the absence o f self, b u t am attracted by the w o m e n ’s appearance
and smile broadly, then I will be deceiving all Buddhas.
‘‘‘W o rld -H o n o red O ne, I have n o w resolved to pursue all-know ing w isdom
and am firmly dedicated to the attainm ent o f suprem e enlightenment. If I look
318 O n P u re L an d

around and gesture frivolously w hen expounding the D harm a, or do not regard
other Bodhisattvas as great masters w hen I see them , then I will be deceiving
num berless Buddhas.
'W orld-H onored O ne, n o w I have resolved to pursue all-know ing wis­
dom . From n o w until m y attainm ent o f suprem e enlightenment, if I sit d o w n to
listen to [heterodox] doctrincs or pay homage to heterodox sramanas and brah­
mins, instead o f [listening to the D h arm a and paying homage to] Buddhist sra-
m anas and devotees, then I will be deceiving all Buddhas.
‘‘‘W o rld-H onored O ne, n o w I have b ro u g h t forth this great aspiration.
From n o w until I attain suprem e enlightenment, if, w h en practicing the giving o f
material things or the giving o f the D harm a, I am partial or discriminate am ong
the recipients o f m y offerings, then I will be deceiving all Buddhas.
“ ‘W orld -H o n o red O ne, n o w I have resolved to pursue all-knowing wis­
dom. From n o w until I attain suprem e enlightenm ent, if, w hen seeing criminals
about to be punished, I do not save them even at the risk o f m y o w n life, then I
will be deceiving all Buddhas.’6
"Sariputra, from the tim e when this Bodhisattva began to cultivate such a
great practice up to his attainment o f suprem e enlightenment, not a single sentient
being about to be punished for som e crimc was not rescued by him.
"Sariputra, at th at time, a m o n k thought, ‘T h e Tathagata will be the witness
for this D harm a-practictioner, as will these gods, hum ans, asuras, and so forth .，
"Sariputra, thereupon, perceiving w hat the m o n k thought, Tathagata Great
Eyes, the W orthy O ne, the Perfectly Enlightened One, told him, ‘So it is, so it is;
th e Tathagata, th e W orthy O ne, th e Perfectly Enlightened O ne, will be his w it­
ness, as will these gods, humans, asuras, and so forth. M onk, any Bodhisattva-
M ahasattva w h o thus wears the armor o f great vigor to pursue supreme enlight­
enm ent will surely attain it.’
"Sariputra, after that, the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva A ksobhya further said to
the Buddha, ‘W o rld-H onored O ne, n o w I have resolved to pursue all-know ing
w isdom . I f I m ention any offense com m itted by, or any dissension among, monks,
nuns, laymen, or layw om en from n o w until m y attainm ent o f suprem e enlight­
enm ent, then I will be disobeying all Buddhas, the TathSgatas. W orld-H onored
One, I will devote m yself to the practice o f this v o w until I attain supreme
enlightenment, so as to m ake m y [Buddha-] land vast and pure and the Sravakas
there all faultless.
“ ‘W orld -H o n o red O ne, from n o w until m y attainment o f suprem e enlight­
enm ent, if I, w ho have resolved to pursue all-know ing wisdom, have any sensual
desire resulting in an ejaculation, even in a dream, then I will be disobeying all
Buddhas, the Tathagatas. W orld-H onored One, I will follow this practice until I
realize suprem e enlightenm ent, so as to make the monastic Bodhisattvas in my
land free from ejaculations, even in dream s.7
“ ‘W orld-H onored O ne, I have resolved to pursue all-knowing w isdom . If,
how ever, w hen I have attained suprem e enlightenment, the wom en in m y B u d ­
 P raisin g T athagata A k s o b h y a 's M e r i t s 319

d h a -la n d h a v e th e sa m e fem ale faults as th o se of w o m e n in o t h e r lands, th e n I w ill

relin q u ish s u p r e m e e n lig h te n m e n t. I f I d o n o t re lin q u ish it, th e n I shall be ch eatin g
all B u d d h a s . ， • ..
" S a rip u tra , at th at tim e, T a th a g a ta G re a t E yes p ro p h e s ie d B o d h is a ttv a A k s o -
b h y a ’s a ttain m en t o f s u p re m e e n lig h te n m e n t, saying, ‘G o o d m a n , in a fu tu re life
yo u w ill b e c o m e a B u d d h a n a m e d T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a ; the W o r t h y O n e , the P e r­
fectly E n lig h te n e d O n e , th e O n e P crfect in L ea rn in g an d C o n d u c t, the W e ll-G o n e
O n e , th e W o r l d - K n o w c r , th e U n e x c e lle d O n e , the G re at T a m e r, the T c a c h e r
o f G o d s a n d H u m a n s , th e B u d d h a , th e W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e . 5 T h e p ro p h e c y
w a s sim ila r to D ip a m k a r a B u d d h a ’s p ro p h c c y o f m y a tta in m e n t o f s u p re m e e n ­
lig h te n m e n t.
" S a rip u tra , w h e n B o d h is a ttv a A k s o b h y a re ce iv ed the p ro p h c c y , th ere w a s a
g re a t light that illu m in a te d th e w h o le w o r ld , an d th e e arth q u a k e d in the six w ays,
as did the b illio n -w o rld u n iv e rs e w h e n I realized a ll - k n o w in g w is d o m .
" F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip u tra, at th at tim e all th e flow ers, trees, an d ju n g le s o f
th e b illio n -w o rld u n iv e rse leaned t o w a r d th at B o d h is a ttv a , j u s t as all th e grasses
a n d trees leaned t o w a r d m e w h e n I realized e n lig h te n m e n t.
" F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip utra, w h e n B o d h is a ttv a A k s o b h y a receiv ed th e p ro p h c c y
f r o m the B u d d h a , all th e gods, d ra g o n s, yaksas, asuras, g a rud as, kinnaras, and
m a h o ra g a s o f th a t b illio n -w o rld u n iv e rse jo in e d th e ir palm s an d p ro stra te d t h e m ­
selves w ith th e ir heads at th e B o d h is a ttv a ’s feet to pay h o m a g e to him , j u s t as all
the gods, d ra g o n s, an d so fo rth o f th e Saha W o rld did to m e w h e n I realized great
e n lig h te n m e n t here.
" F u r t h e r m o r e , S a rip u tra, at th e m o m e n t w h e n B o d h is a ttv a A k s o b h y a re­
ceived the p ro p h c c y , all th e p re g n a n t w o m e n in the w o r ld gave birth to their
c hildren safely an d peacefully, w i th o u t travail o r difficulty; the blin d rc co v erc d
th e ir sight a n d th e d e a f re sto re d th e ir h e arin g , all ju st as it w a s w h e n I attained
B uddhahood.
" F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip u tra, at th e t w o m o m e n ts — w h e n th e B o d h is a ttv a -
M a h a s a ttv a A k s o b h y a re so lv ed to p u rs u e s u p re m e e n lig h te n m e n t, an d w h e n T a ­
th a g a ta G re a t Eyes, th e W o rth y O n e , the Perfectly E n lig h te n e d O ne, p ro p h e s ie d
his a tta in m e n t o f e n lig h te n m e n t— n o sen tien t b e in g died an u n n a tu ra l d eath, ju s t as
it w a s w h e n I realized a ll-k n o w in g w i s d o m . . . .
" S a rip u tra , w h e n B o d h is a ttv a A k s o b h y a receiv ed th e p ro p h e c y , th e sen tien t
b e in g s o f th e R e a lm o f D e sire b r o u g h t s u p e rb dclicacies to h i m a n d play ed cclcstial
m u s ic fo r h im , as offerings.
" S a rip u tra , such arc th e m e rits ach iev ed b y th e B o d h is a ttv a -M a h a s a ttv a
A k s o b h y a after he receiv ed th e p r o p h c c y . ”
T h e n th e V e n e ra b le S a rip u tra said to the B u d d h a , 11W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e ,
m o s t e x tra o rd in a ry is th e T a th a g a ta , th e W o r t h y O n e , th e Pcrfcctly E n lig h te n e d
O n e , w h o is so skillful in e x p lain in g th e in co n ce iv ab le states o f B u d d h a s , the
in co n ce iv ab lc states o f d h y a n a s, th e in co n cc iv ab lc states o f d ra g o n s, an d th e in c o n ­
ccivablc k a r m ic results. W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e , w h e n th e B o d h is a ttv a A k s o b h y a
320 O n P ure L an d

a b id e d in th e initial g e n e ra tio n o f b o d h icitta, he e m b ra c e d th e b e fo re -m e n tio n e d

m erits; w h e n he rccciv cd th e T a th a g a ta 's p ro p h e c y , he p e rfe cted th o se great, in ­
c o n c eiv a b le m e r i ts . ”
T h e B u d d h a to ld S arip utra, “ So it is, so it is, as y o u s a y .”
T h e n the V enerable A n a n d a said to Sariputra, " M o s t v irtu o u s one, the W o rld -
H o n o r e d O n e has explained o n ly a small p o rtio n o f that n o v ic e B o d h i s a t tv a ’s
m e rits o f w e a rin g th e a r m o r o f v ig o r, n o t all o f t h e m . ”
S a rip u tra said, ‘‘So it is, so it is. T h e T a th a g a ta has o n ly to u c h e d u p o n th e m
briefly. W h y ? B ecausc w h e n th at B o d h is a ttv a first b r o u g h t fo rth b o d h ic itta an d
d o n n e d th e a r m o r o f v ig o r, he ach iev ed in co nccivab lc, im m e a s u r a b le m e r i ts . ”
S a rip u tra said fu r th e r to th e B u d d h a , " W o r ld - H o n o r e d O n e , n o w y o u h a v e
p raised briefly B o d h is a ttv a A k s o b h y a 5s s u p e rb m e rits o f w e a r in g th e a r m o r o f
v ig o r. M a y th e W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e ela b o ra te u p o n t h e m fo r th e sake o f g a th e r­
ing in B o d h isattv as o f th e p re sen t an d f u t u r e .”
T h e B u d d h a to ld S arip utra, “In c o n ce iv a b le are the m e rits o f B o d h is a ttv a
A k s o b h y a w h e n h e first b r o u g h t fo r th b o d h ic itta an d d o n n e d th e a r m o r o f vigor.
N o w I w ill fu r th e r relate to y o u a sm all p o r ti o n o f th e m . L isten a tte n tiv e ly and
th in k w ell a b o u t t h e m . ”
S a rip u tra said, "Y es, W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e . I a m w illin g an d glad to lis te n .”
T h e B u d d h a said, “T h e B o d h is a ttv a A k s o b h y a oncc m a d e this v o w : ‘E v e n if
e m p t y sp a ce chan g c s, I shall n o t w i th d r a w f r o m m y g r e a t v o w s . ，B c ca u sc o f this
v o w , B o d h isa ttv a A k s o b h y a a ch iev ed all m e rits qu ickly. Sariputra, I c a n n o t find
an y B o d h is a ttv a in th e W o r t h y K alpa w h o w e a rs th e a r m o r o f v i g o r as B o d h i ­
sattv a A k s o b h y a did. S arip utra, th e practiccs c u ltiv a te d b y B o d h is a ttv a P re cio u s
B a n n e r w e re less th a n a sm all part, o r e v e n an infinitesim al part, o f th o se culti­
v a te d b y B o d h is a ttv a A k so b h y a.
" S a rip u tra , in w e a rin g th e a r m o r o f vigor, B o d h is a ttv a A k s o b h y a h a d n o
p e er a m o n g cou n tlc ss th o u s a n d s o f o th e r B o d h is a ttv a s. S arip utra, w ith his firm
v o w s , B o d h is a ttv a A k s o b h y a has realized s u p re m e e n lig h te n m e n t. N o w h e is liv­
ing in th e W o r ld o f W o n d e rf u l J o y a n d is n a m e d T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , th e W o r t h y
O n e , th e P e rfec tly E n lig h te n e d O n e . . . . ”

ii

A t th a t tim e, S a rip u tra sa id to t h e B u d d h a , " W o r ld - H o n o r e d O n e , t h e B u d d h a has

ex p lain e d th e m e rits a c q u ire d b y T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a w h e n h e w a s c u ltiv a tin g th e
B o d h is a ttv a practices. I h o p e th at th e W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e w ill reveal an d e la b o r­
ate u p o n th e m e rits a n d m ag n ific e n c e o f th e p re s e n t land o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a .
W'h\-? So th at s e n tie n t be in g s w h o fo llo w the B o d h is a ttv a -p a th m a y d e lig h t in th e
m erits o f th at lan d after h e a rin g t h e m an d desire to see, w o r sh ip , an d m a k e
o fferin g s to th e B u d d h a there; a n d so th at s e n tie n t b e in g s in th e S ravaka sta g e w h o
 P r a isin g T athagata A k so b h y a 's M erits 321

h a v e realized A rh a ts h ip m a y also w is h to w o rsh ip , m a k e o fferin g s to, and serve

th a t T a th a g a ta after h e a rin g o f th e m e rits a n d m ag n ific cn c e o f his l a n d . ”
T h e B u d d h a to ld S arip utra, "W e ll said! It is cxccllent th at y o u can m a k e a
re q u e st o f su c h significance. N o w listen a tten tiv ely an d thin k well a b o u t this; I w ill
e x p la in it to y o u in d e ta il.”
S a rip u tra said, "Y es, W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e , l a m w illin g a n d glad to lis te n .”
T h e B u d d h a to ld S a rip utra, " W h e n T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , th e W o r t h y O n e ,
th e P e rfec tly E n lig h te n e d O n e , realized a ll-k n o w in g w is d o m , he e m itte d a great
ligh t o v e r th e e n tire b illio n -w o rld u n iverse. A t th e sa m e tim e, th e e a rth q u a k e d in
th e six w a y s . K n o w i n g th a t T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a h a d realized s u p r e m e e n lig h te n ­
m e n t, th e se n tie n t bein gs o f th at w o r ld d id n o t th in k o f fo o d , h u n g e r, thirst,
fatigue, a re stin g place, o r sleep fo r sev en d a y s a n d n ig h ts; t h e y felt o n ly peace,
happiness, jo y , love, a n d k indn ess. A t th at tim e, all sen tien t b e in g s in th at land,
in c lu d in g th e g o d s in th e R e a lm o f D esire, w e r e rid o f sexual desire. W h y w e r e
th o s e se n tie n t b e in g s able to e n jo y su c h blessin g s in th a t lifetim e? It w a s b c ca u sc o f
th e p o w e r o f th a t T a th a g a ta 's o rig in a l v o w s . S a rip u tra , w h e n T a t h a g a t a A k s o b h y a ,
th e W o r t h y O n e , th e P e rfec tly E n lig h te n e d O n e , re aliz ed a ll- k n o w in g w is d o m , all
th e sen tien t b e in g s in th a t lan d j o i n e d t h e i r p a lm s w i t h u t m o s t sin cerity t o w a r d
h im . D u e to this e a rn e s t a d m ira tio n fo r th e T a th a g a ta , t h e y w e r e able to e n jo y
s u c h in n u m e ra b le blessings in that lifetim e.
" F u r t h e r m o r e , S a rip utra, th at B u d d h a - la n d is peerless in m e rit a n d m a g n if i­
c ence a m o n g th e in n u m e ra b le B u d d h a -la n d s . S a rip utra, th at T a th a g a ta has a chiev ed
a s u p e rb ly a d o rn e d B u d d h a -la n d bccausc h e m a d e th o se g re a t v o w s w h e n fo llo w ­
ing th e B o d h is a ttv a p a th , j u s t as I h a v e n o w a c h ie v e d w h a t I o rig in a lly v o w e d to
achicvc.
" S a rip u tra , w h e n T a th a g a ta A k so b h y a , th e W o r t h y O n e , th e P c rfcc tly E n ­
lig h te n e d O n e , realized s u p re m e e n lig h te n m e n t, at th at instant, at th a t v e ry m o ­
m en t, all th e sen tien t b e in g s o f th at b illio n -w o rld universe, w ith o r w ith o u t the
deva-eye, c o u ld see T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a . Sarip utra, it w a s also th e fulfillm ent
o f th a t T a t h a g a t a ’s o rig in a l v o w s th a t caused th e s en tien t b e in g s to attain this
blessing.
" M o r e o v e r , S a rip u tra, w h e n T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a re aliz ed s u p r e m e e n lig h t­
e n m e n t w h ile sitting o n th e b o d h i-site, P a p ly an , th e k in g o f d e m o n s , did n o t try
to h in d e r him . Also, in n u m e ra b le h u n d r e d s o f th o u s a n d s o f g o d s m a d e o fferin g s to
th e T a th a g a ta w ith fra g ra n t flo w e rs a n d cclcstial m u sic; a n d each o n e b ro u g h t tine,
p o w d e re d s a n d a lw o o d to sp rin k le o v e r th e B u d d h a . T h e p o w d e re d incense an d
g a rla n d s o f flo w e rs fo r m e d a c a n o p y in th e air. S a rip u tra, all this w a s m a d e
po ssible b y th e p o w e r o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a ^ original v o w s .
" F u r t h e r m o r e , S a rip u tra, w h e n that B u d d h a attain ed e n lig h te n m e n t, a g reat
light illu m in a te d th e w h o le b illio n -w o rld un iverse, o u ts h in in g th e ligh ts o f th e
sun, m o o n , a n d he av en s. T h e a p p e a ra n c e o f this au sp icio u s sig n w a s also d u e to
th e fu lfillm e n t o f T ath a g ata A k s o b h y a ^ past v o w s . ”
A t th a t tim e, S a rip u tra said t o th e B u d d h a , “ W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e , w h e n
322 O n P ure L and

B o d h is a ttv a A k s o b h y a w a s f o llo w in g th e B o d h is a ttv a p a th in th e past, h e w o r e the

g re a t a r m o r o f v ig o r a n d w a s th ere fo re able to m a k e th o se g reat v o w s . Because he
h a d c u ltiv ated th e practices an d v o w s o f a B o d h is a ttv a , he c o u ld causc in n u m e ra b le
h u n d r e d s o f th o u s a n d s o f se n tie n t b e in g s to p lan t g o o d ro o ts leadin g to su p re m e
e n lig h te n m e n t. H e fu r th e r d e d ic a te d th o se g o o d ro o ts to th e a tta in m e n t o f su­
p r e m e e n lig h te n m e n t a n d o f a p u re B u d d h a -la n d , w h ic h w e re b o th fulfilled t h r o u g h
th e p o w e r o f such a v o w o f d e d ic a tio n .”8
T h e B u d d h a to ld S arip utra, “M o re o v e r , in th a t B u d d h a -la n d , th e re is a
b o d h i-tr e e m a d e o f th e seven treasures, o n e lea g u e in heig ht. T h e t r u n k o f the tree
is h alf a m ile 9 in c irc u m feren c c ; th e shade o f its b ra n c h e s an d leaves, o n e league in
c irc u m feren c c . U n d e r th e tree is a p la tfo rm , fo u r leagues in c irc u m feren c e , w ith
steps leading d o w n to th e g ro u n d . T h a t B u d d h a w a s seated o n th e p la tfo rm w h e n
he realized e n lig h te n m e n t. A r o u n d the b o d h i-tre e are r o w s o f p a lm trees and
j a s m in e trees, w h ich , in th e g e n tle breeze, g a v e fo rth a h a rm o n io u s an d elegant
s o u n d su rp a ssin g all w o rld ly m usic.
" F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip u tra , th a t B u d d h a -la n d d o c s n o t h a v e th e th ree m is e ra ­
ble p lan es o f existence. W h a t arc th e three? T h e y are: th e plan e o f h c ll-d w e llcr, the
plan e o f a nim als, a n d th e re a lm o f Y a m a . 10 All sen tien t b e in g s in th a t B u d d h a -la n d
h a v e a c c o m p lis h e d th e te n g o o d deeds. T h e g r o u n d is as flat as a p a lm a n d th e
c o lo r o f gold, w i th n o gullies, b ra m b le s, o r gravel; it is as soft as c o tto n , s in k in g as
s o o n as o n e ’s fo o t steps o n it a n d re tu r n in g to its original state as s o o n as t h e fo o t is
lifted.
" S a rip u tra , th at B u d d h a -la n d is free o f t h r e e k in d s o f sickncss. W h a t are th e
th re e ? T h e y are: th e diseases c au sc d b y w in d , c o ld n ess, an d p h l e g m . 11 S a rip u tra, in
th a t B u d d h a -la n d , all sen tien t b e in g s are free f r o m lying, an ugly appearance, a bad
o d o r, a n d filth. T h e y h a v e little desire, ha tre d , a n d ig n o ran c c. T h e r e are n o jails o r
priso n ers.
"S a rip u tra , in th a t B u d d h a - la n d , n o o n e learns o r fo llo w s h e te r o d o x d o c ­
trines. T h e tre e s t h e r e are a lw a y s lad e n w ith flo w e rs a n d fruits, a n d there is also a
special k in d o f tree n a m e d k a lp ataru , w h ic h p ro d u c e s fine g a rm e n ts o f five colors.
T h e g a r m e n ts re m a in b rig h t, be au tiful, fresh, clean, a n d e x tra o rd in a rily fra g ra n t all
th e tim e . J u s t as celestial flo w e rs g iv e fo rth v a rio u s k in d s o f fragrance, so d o th e
g a rm e n ts . T h e fra g ra n c e issu in g fr o m th e b o d ie s o f th o se w h o w e a r th ese g a r­
m e n ts is e x ac tly th e sa m e as th at issuing fro m th e g a rm e n ts . T h e sen tien t b e in g s in
th a t land , like p e o p le in this w o r ld w h o are ric h a n d h a p p y , h a v e p l e n ty o f
w o n d e r f u l g a r m e n ts to w e a r as th e y please.
" S a rip u tra , th e s en tien t b e in g s in th at land, like th o se in th e H e a v e n o f th e
T h ir ty - T h r e e , o b ta in th e fo o d a n d d rin k t h e y n e e d w h e n e v e r t h e y w ish ; a n d t h e y
do n o t d isch arg e e x c r e m e n t, filth, o r a n y t h in g im p u re .
" S a rip u tra , th e palaces a n d t o w e r s o f th a t lan d are all d e c o ra te d w ith th e
s e v e n trea su re s a n d s u r r o u n d e d b y m a n y p o n d s filled w ith th e w a te r o f e igh t
m e rito rio u s qualities, to b e e n jo y e d at will. T h e r e are also m a n y g a rd e n s an d
pavilions, all p u re a n d clean. T h e s e n tie n t b e in g s th e re all live w ith j o y in the
D harm a.
 P r a i s i n g T a t h Ag a t a A k s o b h y a ' s M erits 323

" S a rip u tra , in th a t (land, th ere is n o je a lo u s y a m o n g h u m a n beings. E v ery

w o m a n is b e tte r th a n th e best in this w o r ld , an d has ach iev ed celestial m e rits o f
w h ic h earthly m e rits arc less th an o n e h u n d re d th , o n e th o u sa n d th , o n e h u n d r e d
th o u s a n d th , o n e o f a h u n d r e d th o u s a n d m illio n m y ria d parts, o n e o f an y n u m b e r
o f parts, n u m e ric a l o r figurative, d o w n to o n e infin itesim al part.
"S a rip u tra , th e p e o p le o f that lan d possess lavishly d e c o ra tc d c o u c h c s m a d e
o f th e s e v e n treasures, in a cc o rd a n c c w i t h th e ir k a r m ic results. W h e n t h e y sleep or
rest, th e y use p illo w s m a d e o f c o tt o n floss. All these splen did th in g s are a chiev ed
b y v irtu e o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a 's past v o w s .
"S a rip u tra , th e fo o d an d d r i n k o f th e pe o p le in th a t land arc the sa m e as
th o se o f th e g o d s in colo r, fragrance, a n d taste. Ju s t as th e p e o p le o f U t t a r a k u r u 12
h a v e o n ly o n e k in g , so th e p e o p le o f th e L an d o f W o n d e rf u l J o y h a v e o n ly T a t h a ­
g a ta A k s o b h y a as th eir D h a r m a - L o r d ; a n d ju st as th e g o d s o f th e H e a v e n o f the
T h ir ty - T h r e e a tte n d o n Sakra, so the p e o p le o f th e L an d o f W o n d e rf u l J o y all
a tte n d o n T ath a g ata A k s o b h y a .
''S a rip u tra , y o u s h o u ld k n o w th e m e rits a n d m ag n ific e n c e o f A k s o b h y a
B u d d h a ’s land. S a rip utra, n o n e o f th e sen tien t b e in g s o f th at land arc m e n ta lly
u n re s tra in e d . W h y ? It is also beca u sc o f th e p o w e r o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a 's o rig ­
inal v o w s . ”
A t th at tim e, h e a rin g th e B u d d h a praise the m e rits o f th e B u d d h a - la n d o f
T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , a m o n k b e c a m e g re e d ily a ttached to it an d said to th e B u d ­
dha, “ W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e , n o w I w is h to be b o m in A k s o b h y a B u d d h a ’s l a n d . ”
T h e B u d d h a to ld th e m o n k , “ W ith y o u r foo lishness a n d delu sio n , h o w can
y o u be b o r n there? W h y ? Because o n e w i th an y pa ssio n o r a tta c h m e n t c a n n o t be
b o r n in th a t B u d d h a -la n d . O n l y th o s e w h o h a v e p la n te d g o o d r o o ts a n d c ultiv ated
p u re c o n d u c t can be b o r n t h e r e . ”
T h e n h e a d d re sse d S a rip u tra again, “F u r th e rm o re , S arip utra, i n th a t land, if
th e sen tien t b e in g s w is h it, a clean p o n d w ill a p p e ar at th eir th o u g h t, filled w i t h the
w a te r o f eight m e rito rio u s qualities, fit for drink ing , rin sin g th e m o u t h , w a s h in g ,
a n d b a th in g . I f a n y o n e dislikes it, it w ill im m e d ia te ly disap pear.
" S a rip u tra , in th at B u d d h a -la n d , th e re is a fra g ra n t bre e ze , g e n tle , agreeable,
a n d pleasan t to e v e r y o n e ’s m in d . T h e fra g ra n t b re e z e carries fra g ra n c e to all g o d s
an d h u m a n s w h o like it, b u t n o t to th o s e w h o d o n o t like it. S arip utra, all these
m e rits a n d sp len d o rs are b ro u g h t a b o u t b y th e p o w e r o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a 's
o riginal v o w s . . . .
“F u r th e r m o r e , in th at land, m o t h e r a n d child are safe an d u n sullied, fro m
c o n c e p tio n to birth . H o w c an th is be? All th is is d u e to th e p o w e r o f T a th a g a ta
A k s o b h y a 's orig in a l v o w s . S arip utra, in th at B u d d h a -la n d , th e re is such peace an d
bliss.
" S a rip u tra , in th e la n d o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , th e W o r t h y O n e , th e P e r­
fectly E n lig h te n e d O n e , th e re is n e ith e r trad e n o r trader, n e ith e r fa rm s n o r fa rm in g ;
th e re is h a p p in e s s at all tim es.
^S a rip u tra , in th a t B u d d h a -la n d , s in g in g an d p la y in g d o n o t i n v o lv e sexual
desire. T h e s e n tie n t b e in g s th e re d e riv e th e ir j o y ex clu siv ely f r o m th e D h a rm a .
324 O n P ure Land

"S a rip u tra , in th at B u d d h a -la n d , th e re arc r o w s o f ja s m in e trees a n d p a lm

trees, w h ic h , w h e n stirre d b y a g e n tle breeze, w ill give fo r th a h a r m o n i o u s an d
elegan t s o u n d th a t surp asses e v e n th e celestial m u sic p lay ed b y go ds.
" S a rip u tra , a n y B o d h is a ttv a -M a h a s a ttv a w h o in te n d s to a c q u ire a B u d d h a -
lan d s h o u ld a cc u m u la te such m erits, a d o r n m e n ts , a n d p u rity fo r his B u d d h a -
lan d as T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a did fo r his w h e n he w a s fo llo w in g th e B o d h is a ttv a
practices.
" S a rip u tra , th e re is n o d a rk n e s s in that B u d d h a -la n d . It has su n s a n d m o o n s ,
b u t t h e y d o n o t g iv e o u t light. W h y ? B ccause T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a has an e v er-
shining lig h t w h ic h illu m in a te s th e entire B u d d h a -la n d .
"S a rip u tra , if a w ish -fu lfillin g pearl is p u t in the c c n te r o f a high, large t o w e r
w ith its w i n d o w s a n d d o o r s elosed tightly, th e sen tien t be in g s th ere in w ill see a
brilliant lig h t day and n ig h t. In the sa m e m a n n e r, th e sen tien t b e in g s o f th at
B u d d h a - l a n d a lw a y s see th e ra d ia n c c o f th e T a th a g a ta . S arip utra, th e large t o w e r
stand s fo r th e W o rld o f W o n d e rf u l Joy; the w ish-fulfi lling pearl sta n d s fo r T a t h a ­
gata A k so b h y a ; th e light o f th e w ish -fu lfillin g pearl, th e light o f th at B u d d h a ; and
th e sen tien t b e in g s w ith in th e to w e r, th e sen tien t b e in g s in th e W o rld o f W o n d e r ­
ful Jo y .
" S a rip u tra , w h e r e v e r T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a w a lk s o r stands, a t h o u s a n d -
p c talcd lo tu s a p p e ars s p o n ta n e o u s ly to s u p p o r t his feet. T h e fl o w e r is g o ld e n in
color; t h e r e is n o th in g like it in th is w o r ld . S a rip u tra , th is is also a chiev ed b y th e
s u p e r b p o w e r o f th e v o w s o f T a t h a g a t a A k s o b h y a , th e W o r t h y O n e , th e P e rfec tly
E n lig h te n e d O n e . ”
T h e r e u p o n , S a rip u tra a sk ed th e B u d d h a , " W o r ld - H o n o r e d O n e , w h e n T a ­
th a g a ta A k s o b h y a e n te rs a r o o m , w ill a g o ld e n lo tu s s u p p o r t his feet o r n o t? ”
T h e B u d d h a to ld S a rip u tra , " W h y d o y o u b o th e r to ask such a trivial q u e s ­
tion? W h e n th a t B u d d h a , th e W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e , e n te rs a village o r a h o u se, a
th o u s a n d -p e ta le d lo tu s a p p e ars w ith h im . If any g o o d m a n o r g o o d w o m e n th in k s,
‘W h e n th e T a th a g a ta c o n d e s c e n d s to e n te r this r o o m , m a y th e lo tu s b e n e a th his
feet close its p e ta ls，’th e f l o w e r w ill d o so im m e d ia te ly . If a n y o n e w ish es th e lo tu s
to stay in th e air, th e flo w e r w ill also d o so im m e d ia te ly . A ll this is d u e to th at
T a th a g a ta 's a w e s o m e p o w e r.
"S a rip u tra , th e lo tu s w h ic h h o ld s th e feet [o f th e T a th a g a ta ] w ill th e n be
g iv e n to th e p e o p le , a n d th e y w ill b u ild a stu p a fo r it a n d m a k e o fferin g s to it.
" S a rip u tra , t h a t B u d d h a , th e W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e , travels t h r o u g h t h e w h o le
b illio n -w o rld u n iv e rse to e x p o u n d th e D h a r m a ; a n d w h e r e v e r h e go es, a flo w e r
a p p e ars w ith h im . M o r e o v e r , in w h a te v e r land th at T a th a g a ta m an ife sts him self, in
th at land g o lden lo tu ses also appear. B y th e a w e s o m e p o w e r o f th at B u d d h a , his
en tire b illio n -w o rld u n iv e rse is a d o rn e d w i th th o u s a n d -p e ta le d g o ld e n lo tu s e s .”
 P ra isin g T a t h a g a t a A k s o b h y a 's M e r i t s 325

hi

" F u r t h e r m o r e , S a rip u tra , w h e n T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a e x p o u n d s th e D h a r m a , he

can skillfully s u b d u e c o u n tlc ss se n tie n t beings, m a k in g t h e m all a ttain A rh atsh ip ;
n u m e r o u s arc th o s e w h o w ill d w e ll in th e m e d ita tio n o f th e e ig h tfo ld liberation.
" S a rip u tra , T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , th e W o r t h y O n e , th e Pcrfcctly E n lig h te n e d
O n e , has a h o s t o f S ra v a k as incalculable in n u m b e r . I c a n n o t find an y a rith m e tic ia n
o r a n y a rith m e tic ia n ’s disciple able to c o m p u t e h o w m a n y h u n d r e d s o f th o u sa n d s
o f m illions o f billions o f trillions o f S ravakas th e re arc in the ho st. S ariputra, n o
o n e can a sc e rta in th e to ta l n u m b e r o f th e S ra v a k a s in t e r m s o f th o s e figures.
S a rip u tra, j u s t as the n u m b e r o f g o o d m e n w h o h a v e a tta in e d th e fruit o f a
S trc a m -c n tc rc r, the fru it o f a O n c c - r c tu r n c r , o r the fru it o f a N o n r c t u m e r in m y
lan d is difficult to ascertain, so is the n u m b e r o f g o o d m e n w h o have attained the
fru it o f an A rh a t in th a t land.
" S a rip u tra , |in m y land, | in d o le n t pe o p le c an a tta in th e fruit o f a S trc a m -
c ntcrcr. T h e y w ill be b o r n as h u m a n e scvcn> m o r e tim e s a n d be fu r th e r ta u g h t the
D h a r m a b e fo re th e y can attain the s u p e rio r fruit [ o f an A rh at]; th ere fo re, I call
t h e m ‘pe o p le o f sev en r e b ir th s .5 S ariputra, [in the land o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , ]
in d o le n t p e o p le can a ttain th e fruit o f a S trc a m -c n te re r a t T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a 's
first d is c o u rs e o n the D h a rm a , th e fru it o f a O n c c - r c t u r n c r at the s e c o n d discourse,
th e fruit o f a N o n r e t u r n e r at the th ird disco urse, a n d th e fru it o f an A rh a t at the
f o u rth d isco urse. T h e y arc said to b e in d o le n t bccausc th e y fail to en d all th e ir
d e file m e n ts at o n e sitting.
" S a rip u tra , in th at B u d d h a -la n d , th o s e w h o h a v e a tta in e d th e fru it o f a
S trc a m -c n tc rc r will be cleansed o f all d e file m e n ts in o n e lifetim e, u n lik e the S trc a m -
e n tc rc rs o f th is w o r ld , w h o h a v e to g o t h r o u g h sev en m o r e birth s. T h o s e w h o
h a v e attain ed th e fru it o f a O n c c - r c t u r n c r w ill be freed fr o m all su fferin g in o n e
lifetim e, u n lik e th o se callcd O n c c - r c tu r n c r s in this w o r ld , w h o h a v e to g o th r o u g h
o n e m o r e b irth . T h o s e w h o h a v e attain ed the fru it o f a N o n r c t u m e r w ill b e c o m e
A rh a ts in o n e lifetim e, u n lik e th o se callcd N o n r e t u r n e r s in this w o r ld , w h o h av e to
be b o r n in th e u p p e r re a lm s [before th e y arc liberated], t h o u g h th e y w ill n o t re tu rn
to this earth. . . . 13
“F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip u tra, in th a t B u d d h a -la n d , there are steps m ade o f th ree
prcciou s m a te ria ls— gold, silver, a n d lapis lazuli— e x te n d in g fr o m J a m b u d v lp a to
th e H e a v e n o f the T h ir ty - T h r e e . S a rip u tra, w h e n th e gods o f th e H e a v e n o f the
T h i r t y - T h r e e desire to see T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , to w o r s h ip an d m a k e o fferin g s to
h im , they can d e sce n d th e p rc c io u s steps to th e B u d d h a ’s placc. W h e n th ey find
th a t th e p e o p le o f [that] J a m b u d v lp a arc rich, p ro sp e ro u s, and have e v e r y th in g
th e y need , th e y w ill b e c o m e d e siro u s a n d say, ‘W e g o d s h a v e the g o o d fo rtu n e o f
gods, an d th e p e o p le o f J a m b u d v lp a h a v e th e g o o d fo rtu n e o f h u m a n b ein gs. N o w
I see th a t th e ir fo rtu n e is as cxccllcnt as o u rs . W h a t is m o re , t h e p e o p le o f J a m b u ­
d v lp a h a v e a g o o d fo rtu n e e v e n s u rp assin g ours: T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a is e x p o u n d in g
326 O n P ure L and

o f th e tru e D h a r m a there. T h is is w h y w e g o d s a lw a y s pre fe r th e h u m a n w o r l d . ’

"S a rip u tra , th e p e o p le o f that J a m b u d v ip a have n o desire at all to be b o rn in
th e he av en s. W h y ? B e cause [th ey th in k ,] ‘In th e h u m a n w o r ld , T a th a g a ta A k s o ­
b h y a c o n s ta n tly e x p o u n d s the tru e D h a rm a to benefit us, an d o u r g o o d f o r tu n e is
n o t d iffe ren t f r o m th a t o f th e go d s. T h e g o d s o f th e H e a v e n o f th e T h ir ty - T h r e e
are n o m a tc h for u s . ’
"S a rip u tra , in th a t land, by th e B u d d h a ’s d ivine p o w e r, gods an d h u m a n s
can see e ach o th e r. J u s t as th e p e o p le o f this J a m b u d v ip a see th e m o o n a n d stars,
so, S a rip u tra, th e p e o p le there can lo o k u p w a r d an d see th e palaces o f th e g o d s
a b o v e . S a rip u tra, this is also a c h ie v e d b y the p o w e r o f th e o riginal v o w s w h ic h
T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a m a d e w h e n h e w a s c u ltiv atin g th e B o d h is a ttv a practices.
"S a rip u tra , th e v o ic e o f th e B u d d h a e x p o u n d in g the D h a r m a sp re ad s o v e r
th e e n tire b illio n -w o rld un iverse, an d is h e ard e v e r y w h e r e b y th e fo u r k in d s o f
d evotees.
"S a rip u tra , th e S ravakas th ere w is h fo r n o o th e r fo o d th a n D h a r m a - f o o d .
W h e n liste n in g to th e D h a r m a , th e y a re sin g le -m in d e d a n d calm ; th e y d o n o t feel
tire d ph y sic ally o r m e n ta lly , w h e t h e r sitting o r sta n d in g . S a rip utra, T a th a g a ta
A k s o b h y a stays in m id a ir w h e n e x p o u n d in g th e D h a r m a to the a ssem bly. T h e
S ravakas, w h e th e r o r n o t th e y th em se lv e s h a v e m ira c u lo u s p o w e r , all stay in
m id air b y th e a w e so m e p o w e r o f th e B u d d h a w h e n th e y listen to th e esscnce o f the
D h a r m a , b e a rin g th em se lv e s w ith d ig n ity in th e th ree d e p o rtm e n ts . W h a t are the
tlire^? W a lk in g , s ta n d in g , a n d sitting.
" W h e n these S ravakas in te n d to e n te r p a rin irv a n a , th e y sit c ro s s -le g g e d a n d
t h e n im m e d ia te ly e n te r it. A t th a t m o m e n t , th e e arth q u a k e s. A fte r th eir p a rin ir­
vana, all g o d s an d h u m a n s c o m e to m a k e offerings to th em .
“ W h e n th e A rh a ts arc re a d y fo r parinirvaiia, th e y p ro d u c c fire fr o m th eir
bo d ie s to c re m a te them selves; o r b e c o m e cx tin c t s p o n ta n e o u s ly , leavin g n o relics
behind; o r r o a m in th e sk y like clou ds o f five colors, an d th e n disap pear in an
instant, w ith o u t leaving a trace; o r sta n d in the sky an d th e n va n ish like rain falling
to th e g ro u n d .
"S a rip u tra , this is also b e cause, w h ile c u ltiv atin g th e B o d h is a ttv a practiccs in
th e past, T a t h a g a t a A k s o b h y a , th e W o r t h y O n e , th e P erfectly E n lig h te n e d O n e ,
m a d e this v o w : ‘I f I realize s u p re m e e n lig h te n m e n t, th e Sravakas [in m y land] w ill
e n te r p a rin irv a n a w ith d ig n ity in th e th ree d e p o r tm e n ts . ’
" F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip utra, m a n y Sravakas o f that B u d d h a -la n d have attained
the f o u r fearlessnesses, a n d ev en m o r e h a v e attained th e fo u r bases o f m ira c u lo u s
p o w e rs . S arip utra, the S ravakas o f th at land h a v e acc o m p lish e d these c o m p le te
m erits. ’’
A t that tim e, S a rip u tra said to th e B u d d h a , " W o r ld - H o n o r e d O n e , illus­
trious, great, a n d vast in d e e d are th e m e rits a c c o m p lish e d b y th e Sravakas o f
丁cithSgata A k s o b h y a , th e W o r t h y O n e , th e Perfectly E n lig h te n e d O n e . ”
 P r a is in g T a t h a g a t a A k s o b h y a ' s M erits 327

IV

A t th a t tim e, th e V e n e ra b le S a rip u tra th o u g h t, ‘‘T h e W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e has j u s t

n o w d iscu sscd t h e m e rits o f t h e S ravakas. M a y t h e T a th a g a ta also e x p o u n d th e
c o m p le te m e rits o f th e B o d h isa ttv a s. W h y ? B ecausc all o th e r m e rits c o m c f r o m
th em .”
T h e n , k n o w i n g S a rip u tra 's th o u g h t, th e B u d d h a to ld h im , “ In that B u d d h a -
land, in n u m e ra b le h u n d r e d s o f th o u s a n d s o f [m illion s of] billio ns o f B o d h is a ttv a s
a tte n d th e assem bly, and, b y th e d ivine p o w e r o f the B u d d h a , all th e B o d h is a ttv a s
w h o h a v e left th e h o u s e h o ld life can u n d e r s ta n d , accept, u p h o ld , read, an d rccitc
w h a t th e y h av e heard.
''S a rip u tra , th e D h a r m a w h ic h I h a v e e x p o u n d e d in this w o r ld is a v e ry
sm all p a rt— less th a n o n e h u n d re d th , o n e th o u s a n d th , o n e h u n d r e d th o u s a n d th ,
o n e h u n d r e d b illio nth , o n e o f an y n u m b e r o f parts, o n e m in u te part, o r e v e n o n e
infin itesim al p a rt— o f th e D h a r m a - tr e a s u r e e x p o u n d e d b y T a th a g a ta A k so b h y a.
" S a rip u tra , this is all b ccausc T a th a g a ta A k so b h y a , th e W o r t h y O n e , th e
P e rfec tly E n lig h te n e d O n e , m a d e this v o w w h e n c u ltiv a tin g th e B o d h is a ttv a p ra c ­
tices: ‘W h e n I attain B u d d h a h o o d , m a y all th e B o d h is a ttv a s in m y land, b y m y
a w e s o m e p o w e r , b e able to u n d e r s ta n d , a cc ep t, u p h o ld , read, an d recite w h a te v e r
t h e y h e a r (fro m th e B u d d h a ] . 1 Sariputra, b y th e d ivine p o w e r o f th e o riginal v o w
m a d e b y th a t T ath a g ata, th o s e B o d h isa ttv a s are able to u n d e rs ta n d , accept, u p h o ld ,
read, an d rccitc w ith facility all th at t h e y h a v e h e a r d fr o m th e B u d d h a .
" F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip u tra, i f th o s e B o d h is a ttv a s w a n t to g o to a n o th e r B u d ­
d h a -la n d , th e y a rriv e th e re as s o o n as th e y t h in k o f th at land, w e a r in g th e n ative
co stu m c , sp e ak in g th e local lang uag e w ith n o acccnt, an d actin g in h a r m o n y w ith
th e c u s to m s o f th a t land. T h e y pa y h o m a g e an d m a k e offerin g s to th e T a th a g a ta o f
th a t land, listen to th e t r u e D h a r m a , a n d ask p e rtin e n t q u estion s. W h e n th e y h a v e
d o n e all th e y can, th e y r e t u r n to A k s o b h y a B u d d h a .
''S a rip u tra , n in e h u n d r e d n in e ty -six B u d d h a s w ill a p p e a r in this w o r ld d u r ­
ing this W o r t h y K a lp a .14 A B o d h is a ttv a w h o w ish e s to see th e s e T a th a g a ta s sh o u ld
m a k e a v o w to be b o r n in A k s o b h y a B u d d h a ’s land.
" S a rip u tra , i f g o o d m e n o r g o o d w o m e n [w h o fo llo w th e B o d h is a ttv a - p a th ] ,
a fte r th e ir d e a th i n this B u d d h a -la n d o r a n o th e r B u d d h a -la n d , h a v e been b o rn , are
being bo rn, o r will be b o r n in the B u d d h a -la n d o f T athagata A k s o b h y a . th ey will
n o t b e liev e o r a b id e in th e stage o f S ravakas. W h y ? B e c a u sc th o s e w h o fo llo w th e
B u d d h a - p a t h w ill a lw a y s m e e t th e T a th a g a ta , an d g iv e th e cclcstial d e m o n PapTyan
n o o p p o r t u n it y to h in d e r th e m . T h e y will give u p the t w o vchiclcs forever, an d
attain s u p r e m e e n lig h te n m e n t w i th o u t fail. T h e y w ill a lw a y s partic ip a te in that
T a t h a g a t a ’s g re a t assem blies.
''S a rip u tra , y o u s h o u ld k n o w th a t th o s e sen tien t b e in g s w h o d w e ll in th e
p u re B u d d h a - la n d o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a w ill n e v e r be subjcct to d e g e n e ra tio n ,
328 O n P ure L and

s e d u c tio n , o r re g re ssio n ; th e y will ab id e in th e p u rs u it o f su p re m e e n lig h te n m e n t,

h a v e great p o w e r, be im m o v a b le , a n d n e v e r regress.
l<S a rip u tra, i f g o o d m e n o r g o o d w o m e n arc b o r n in th at lan d after th eir
d e a th in this w o r ld o r o t h e r w o rld s, th e y w ill，at th e tim e o f th e ir b irth , h a v e this
th o u g h t: ‘I h a v e e n te re d th e T a th a g a ta 's r o o m an d h a v e tak e n u p m y a b o d e in the
c ity o f fearlessn ess .，
''S a rip u tra , th o se B o d h isa ttv a s will c o m p ly w ith the p a ra m ita o f w i s d o m in
w h a te v e r th e y say, a n d th e y will respcct o n e a n o th e r an d re g a rd o n e a n o t h e r as
teachers.
“F u r th e r m o r e , S arip utra, o f the B o d h is a ttv a s in th at B u d d h a -la n d , fe w are
h o u s e h o ld e rs; m a n y arc m o n k s. B y th e B u d d h a 's d ivine p o w e r, th e y can u n d e r ­
stand, accept, u p h o ld , read, a n d rccitc w h a te v e r th ey h ave h e a rd [f ro m th e B u d ­
dha]. S a rip u tra, th e lay B o d h is a ttv a -M a h a s a ttv a s w h o arc u n ab le to participate in
th e a s s e m b l y 1，can b y th e B u d d h a ’s m ira c u lo u s p o w e r h e ar, u n d e rs ta n d , accept,
u p h o ld , read, a n d recite w i th facility th e D h a r m a e x p o u n d e d , w h e r e v e r th e y are,
w h e th e r sittin g o r sta n d in g . T h e B o d h is a ttv a s w h o h a v e left th e h o u s e h o ld life an d
are n o t in th e a ss e m b ly can d o th e sam e. Also, th ese B o d h isattv as, in the c o u rse o f
decease a n d re b irth , n e v e r fo rg e t th e siitras t h e y h a v e h e ard , a n d can be b o r n in
a n y B u d d h a - la n d th e y w ish . S arip utra, this is also achiev ed t h r o u g h th e m e rits o f
T a t h a g a t a A k s o b h y a 's o rig in a l v o w s .
l<S a rip u tra, if a B o d h is a ttv a w is h e s to see n u m e r o u s h u n d r e d s o f th o u s a n d s
o f [m illion s o f] billions o f m y ria d s o f B u d d h a s in o n e lifetim e, he sh o u ld v o w to
be b o m in th e land o f T ath a g ata A k so b h y a . A fte r his b irth there, he will see
in n u m e ra b le B u d d h a s a n d p lan t all k in d s o f g o o d roo ts; h e can also e x p o u n d the
essencc o f th e D h a r m a to n u m e ro u s h u n d re d s o f th o u sa n d s o f sen tien t beings to
increase th e ir g o o d ro o ts.
“ S a rip u tra, i f B o d h is a ttv a s , after th e ir d e a th in this w o r ld o r o t h e r w o rld s,
h a v e b e e n b o rn , are b e in g b o rn , o r w ill b e b o m in th e B u d d h a -la n d o f T a th a g a ta
A k s o b h y a , t h e y w ill all a ttain th e stage o f n o n re g rc s sio n . W h y ? B e cause in th at
B u d d h a -la n d , o n e is n o t o b s tru c te d b y th e cclcstial d e m o n PapTyan o r d is tu rb e d by
d c m o n ic influences.
"'Sariputra, a v e n o m o u s sn a k e s u b ju g a te d b y a m a g ic spell c a n n o t h u rt a n y ­
on e, pnd insects o r w o r m s will n o t be w o r r ie d o r afraid u p o n seein g it. Y et,
h a rm le s s as it is, it is still called a v e n o m o u s snake becausc it has re c e iv e d th e fo r m
o f a sn a k e as a result o f its p re v io u s karm as. S arip utra, the sa m e is tru e w ith the
celcstial d e m o n Papiy an . W h e n T ath a g ata A k s o b h y a w a s fo llo w in g th e B o d h i­
sattva practiccs in th e past, he v o w e d to dedicate his g o o d ro o ts thus: ‘W h e n I
realize s u p re m e e n lig h te n m e n t, I w ill s u b ju g a te all d e m o n s so that they w ill n o t
causc h in d r a n c e s o r tro u b le s. T h e y w ill n o t h in d e r o r tro u b le the B o d h isattv as,
S ravakas, o rd in a ry peo p le, o r o th e rs in th e w h o le b illio n -w o rld u n iv e rs e .’ [S u b-
lu g a te d as th e y arc,] th e d e m o n s re m a in in d e m o n s ’ fo r m s bccause o f th e ir p re ­
vious k a rm a s. T h e y re g re t this in th e h e av en w h e re th e y arc bo rn , a n d b la m e
th e m se lv e s fo r b e in g in c a rn a tc d as b e in g s called ‘d e m o n s ’ o w n i n g to t h e i r p re v io u s
 P r a is in g T a t h a g a t a A k s o b h y a 's M e r i t s 329

k a rm as p e r f o r m e d fr o m b e g in n in g le ss tim e. In spite o f th e p o w e r th e y e n jo y , th e y
lo ath e th e ir state. W h e n th at T a th a g a ta e x p o u n d s th e D h a rm a , th e d e m o n s an d
th e ir re tin u e s are o ften a m o n g the listeners. A fte r h e a rin g th e D h a rm a , th e y b c ­
c o m e p u re in m in d a n d y e a rn to be Sravakas, th in k in g , ‘H o w can w e, to o , abid e in
tra n q u illity , h a v e fe w desires, an d b e c o n tc n t? ，Bccause th o se d e m o n s h a v e a
c o n s ta n t d esire to leave th e h o u s e h o ld life an d have n o in te n tio n o f h in d e rin g
o th e rs, th e Sravakas, B o d h isattv as, a n d o rd in a ry p e o p le in th at land can all abid e in
p c a c e a n d h a p p in e ss. T h is is also d u e to th e a w e s o m e p o w e r o f th a t B u d d h a ’s
p r e v i o u s v i g o r a n d g re a t v o w s . S a rip u tra , th is is also a s u p e r b a d o r n m e n t o f
A k s o b h y a B u d d h a ’s l a n d . . . .
" S a rip u tra , th o se B o d h is a ttv a s w h o h a v e received m y p ro p h e c y an d attain ed
n o n rc g rc s s io n w ill be b o r n in A k s o b h y a B u d d h a ’s land. H o w e v e r , S arip utra, this
d o es n o t m e a n th at I fo rsak e th e B o d h is a ttv a s b o r n in th at B u d d h a -la n d . If an
a n o in te d ksatriya k in g learns th a t th e a r m y o f a hostile n a tio n is c o m in g to steal his
w e a lth a n d th ro n e , he w ill th in k , ‘M y qu ee n , c o n c u b in c s, a n d b e lo v e d c h ild re n are
n o t s tr o n g e n o u g h to resist th e e n e m y . I w ill ke ep th e m , t o g e th e r w ith m y trea ­
sures, in th e palace, o u t o f h a r m ’s w a y . ，T h e n he will o v c r c o m c his e n e m y , so that
his c o u n t r y is blessed w i th pcacc an d freed f r o m d a n g e r, a n d th ere is n o lo n g e r an y
fear o f disaster. S a rip u tra, j u s t as the k in g d o cs n o t a b a n d o n his treasures, b e lo v e d
c h ildren, q u e e n , an d c o n c u b in e s, so I d o n o t fo rsake th e B o d h isattv as, a n d th o se
w h o fo llo w th e B o d h is a ttv a p racticcs s h o u ld k n o w this. L ike th e palacc, th at
B u d d h a - l a n d is free f r o m fear; like th e lead er o f th e e n em ies, th e celestial d e m o n
P a p ly a n [in m y land] tries in e v e ry w a y to h in d e r th o se w h o fo llo w th e B o d h i ­
sattv a practices; a n d like th e great k in g w h o is n o t d is tu rb e d b y th e in v a d in g
e n em ies, th e T a th a g a ta is n o t harassed b y th e celestial d e m o n s.
" S a rip u tra , su p p o se a m a n , afraid o f his c red ito r, ru n s far a w a y to the
fro n tier. H e will b e spared p e rse c u tio n at th e h a n d s o f th e c re d ito r a n d o th e rs
c o n ccrn ed . W h y ? Because th e c re d ito r a n d his fa m ily c a n n o t reach him , d u e to th e
g re a t distance a n d d a n g e r in v o lv e d . In th e sa m e w a y , th e B o d h is a ttv a s b o r n in the
L a n d o f W o n d e rf u l Jo y are b e y o n d th e reach o f P a p iy an , w h o is k e p t a w a y b y the
in s u r m o u n ta b l e difficulty o f th e j o u r n e y . 16
" S a rip u tra , in this b illio n -w o rld u n iverse, the celestial d e m o n P a p ly a n h in ­
d e rs B o d h is a ttv a s a n d Sravakas in e v e ry w a y . In th e L an d o f W o n d e rf u l Joy. the
celestial d e m o n s d o n o t d o devilish deeds. T h e B o d h is a ttv a s b o r n th ere in th e past,
presen t, a n d fu tu re are free f r o m fear fo rev e r. W h y ? B e c a u se w h e n th a t T a th a g a ta
w a s fo llo w in g th e B o d h is a ttv a -p a th , h e d e d ica te d all his g o o d ro o ts thus: ‘W h e n I
realize s u p r e m e e n lig h te n m e n t, the celestial d e m o n s w ill not h in d e r a n y o n e o r do
any devilish d e e d s . ，S a rip u tra, j u s t as p o is o n loses its to x ic ity an d b e c o m e s fo o d fo r
a s tr o n g m a n w h o can take it skillfully and digest it, so the cclcstial d e m o n s o f th at
land, in ste a d o f d o in g h a rm , are a lw a y s beneficial.
" S a rip u tra , i n n u m e ra b le such m e rits are ach iev ed in th at B u d d h a - l a n d .”
A t th a t tim e, S a rip u tra th o u g h t, “ N o w I w is h to see T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a ,
th e W o r t h y O n e , th e P e rfec tly E n lig h te n e d O n e , a n d th e S ravakas o f th a t B u d ­
330 O n P ure L and

d h a - l a n d .” T h e r e u p o n , pc rc eiv in g w h a t w a s in S a rip u tra 's m in d , th e W o r ld -

H o n o r e d O n e , b y his d iv in e p o w e r a n d w i th o u t rising fr o m his scat, caused
S a rip u tra to see all o f th em .
T h e B u d d h a a sk ed S arip utra, ‘‘H a v e y o u seen th e m n o w ? ”
S a rip u tra a n sw e re d , "Y es, I h a v e .”
T h e B u d d h a a sk ed S arip utra, “D o y o u see an y difference, su c h as su p e rio rity
o r in ferio rity , a m o n g th o se g o d s an d h u m a n s ? ”
S a rip u tra a n s w e r e d , ‘‘N o , I d o n o t. W h y ? B ccause I sec t h a t t h e c lo th in g ,
fo o d a n d d rin k , a n d v a lu ab le ob jects e n jo y ed b y th e h u m a n s o f th e L a n d o f
W o n d e rf u l J o y are g o d s ’ i m p le m e n ts o f pleasure. T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , e x p o u n d ­
ing th e D h a r m a to th e assem bly, is like a g o ld m o u n ta in , sh in in g brilliantly.
T h e r e are in n u m e ra b le , lim itless Sravakas. J u s t as th e h o riz o n s in th e fo u r d irec ­
tio n s arc b o u n d le ss in th e eyes o f o n e sailing u p o n th e great occan, so the S ra v a k as
th e r e arc lim itless in n u m b e r to th e b e h o ld e r. W h e n th o s e S ravakas arc liste n in g to
th e D h a r m a , th e y k e e p th eir b o d ie s a n d m in d s as still as i f th ey h a d e n te re d
d h y a n a , u n lik e th e p e o p le in this w o rld , w h o s w a y a n d stir, so m e tim e s e v e n in
m e d it a t io n .” . . .
A t th at tim e, a t h o u g h t o c c u rrc d to A n a n d a: “N o w I should test th e p o w e r
o f V e n e ra b le S u b h u ti's e l o q u e n c ^ . W i t h this in m in d , he said to S u b h u ti, “W e
s h o u ld h a v e a lo o k at T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , his disciplcs, an d his B u d d h a - l a n d .”
S u b h u ti to ld A n a n d a , “If y o u w a n t to see th at T a th a g a ta , y o u sh o u ld lo o k
u p w a rd s . ’’
A fte r A n a n d a had lo o k e d u p w a rd s , he said to S u b h u ti, “I have lo o k e d u p ­
w a r d s as far as I c o uld, b u t I s a w n o th i n g e x c e p t e m p tin e ss a n d stillness.”
S u b h u ti said, " T a th a g a ta A k so b h y a , his disciples, an d his B u d d h a - la n d are
sim ilar to w h a t y o u s a w w h e n y o u lo o k e d u p w a r d s . ”
T h e n S a rip u tra said to th e B u d d h a , " W o r ld - H o n o r e d O n e , a s the B u d d h a
h as said, th e B o d h is a ttv a s in th is w o r l d w h o s e a tta in m e n t o f B u d d h a h o o d has b e e n
p ro p h e s ie d are n o t d iffe ren t f r o m th e B o d h is a ttv a s b o r n in th a t land. W o r ld -
H o n o r e d O n e , n o w I d o n o t k n o w w h y th e y are e q u a l.”
T h e B u d d h a to ld S arip utra, "B e ca u se o f th e equality o f th e d h a rm a d h a tu ,
th e re is n o differen ce b e tw e e n t h e m . ”

v
A t th a t tim e, the V e n e ra b le S a rip u tra th o u g h t fu rth e r, ‘‘T h e W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e
has s p o k e n o f th e in fin ite m e rits o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , th e W o r t h y O n e , th e
P e rfec tly E n lig h te n e d O n e , in fo llo w in g th e B o d h is a ttv a -p a th . H e has also s p o k e n
o f th e vast, g re a t a d o r n m e n t s o f th at lan d a n d th e excellent, v ir tu o u s d e e d s o f th e
S ravakas a n d B o d h is a ttv a s th e re . I h o p e th at th e W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e w ill fu r th e r
tell us a b o u t th a t B u d d h a ’s p a rin irv a n a a n d his d e ed s o f deliv e ran ce t h e re a fte r.”
 P r a isin g T a t h a g a t a A k s o b h y a ^ M erits 331

T h e n , k n o w i n g S a rip u tra 's th o u g h t, t h e W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e to ld h im ,

''S a rip u tra , o n th e da y o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a 's parinirvaiia, his m a g ic a lly p r o ­
d u c e d bo d ie s w ill a p p e a r t h r o u g h o u t all th e w o rld s, in c lu d in g th e hells, a n d w ill
e x p o u n d th e w o n d e r f u l D h a r m a . H e w ill s u b d u e w i t h th e D h a r m a n u m e r o u s
s e n tie n t b e in g s, all o f w h o m w ill a ttain A rh a tsh ip . A s a result, th e re w ill be m o r e
p e o p le w h o h a v e attain ed th e stage b e y o n d learning th a n th ere w e re b e fo re th at
B u d d h a ’s p a rin irv a n a .
“O n th at day, h e w ill also p re d ict B o d h is a ttv a F ra g ra n t E le p h a n t ’s a ttain ­
m e n t o f B u d d h a h o o d , saying, ‘A fte r m y parinirvana, y o u w ill b e c o m e a B u d d h a ,
n a m e d T a th a g a ta G o l d e n L o tu s, th e W o r t h y O n e , th e Perfectly E n lig h te n e d O n e . 5
F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip u tra, th e m e rits o f T a th a g a ta G o ld e n L o tu s's B u d d h a - la n d a n d
th e n u m b e r o f his d isciples w ill b e th e s a m e as th o s e o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a .
“ F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip u tra , w h e n T a t h a g a t a A k s o b h y a e n te rs parinirvaiia, th e
g re a t e a rth w ill q u a k e all o v e r, a n d th e w h o le b illio n -w o rld u n iv e rse w ill r o a r in
th e q u a k e . T h e s o u n d w ill re ac h u p to th e A k a n isth a H e a v e n . W h e n th e g o d s h e a r
th e so u n d , th e y w ill k n o w th a t th e B u d d h a has e n te re d pa rin irv an a.
“M o r e o v e r , Sariputra, th e forests a n d h e rb s o f th a t B u d d h a -la n d w ill all
inclin e t o w a r d th e place w h e r e T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a is e n te rin g p a rin irv a n a . A t that
tim e, th e g o d s a n d h u m a n s w ill all scatter o v e r th e B u d d h a garlands o f flo w e rs,
m a n y k in d s o f in ce n se , a n d c lothing. T h e scattered fra g ra n t flo w e rs w ill pile u p
a r o u n d th e B u d d h a to a h e ig h t o f o n e league.
“F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip u tra, w h e n T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a is e n te rin g parin irv aiia,
all th e gods, d rago ns, yaksas, ga n d h arv as, asuras, garudas, kin n a ra s, a n d m a h o ­
rag as o f th e b illio n -w o rld u n iv e rse w ill jo i n th e ir p a lm s to salute him ; also, b y th e
d iv in e p o w e r o f th e B u d d h a , the g o d s in o th e r lan d s w ill be able to see th at
B u d d h a e n te r p a rin irv an a. F o r sev en d a y s a n d n ig h ts, th ese g o d s w ill be o v e r ­
w h e lm e d w ith grief, will desist fr o m th e a m u s e m e n ts o f g o d s a n d h u m a n s , a n d
w ill feel n o desire. T h e y w ill say to o n e a n o th e r, ‘T a t h a g a t a A k s o b h y a has b e e n th e
lig h t o f th e w o r ld an d th e eye o f sen tien t beings. Alas, w h y d o c s h e e n t e r p a rin ir­
v a n a so s o o n ? ， . ..
“F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip u tra, T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , th e W o r t h y O n e , th e P e r­
fectly E n lig h te n e d O n e , w ill issue fire f r o m his o w n b o d y to c re m a te him self.
A ll his relics w ill be g o ld e n in color. J u s t as th e tim ira tree reveals a sw astik a
s ig n 17 in its c ro ss -s e c tio n w h e r e v e r it is cut, so w ill th e relics o f th at T a th a g a ta .
“ M o r e o v e r , S a rip utra, e v e r y relic o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a w ill be ro u n d ,
w ith th e a u sp icio u s sw a stik a sig n b o th inside an d ou tsid e. S a rip utra, j u s t as th e
p u la k a tree reveals th e a u sp icio u s sw a stik a sig n b o th inside a n d o u tsid e w h e r e v e r it
is c u t across, so w ill th e relics o f th at B u d d h a.
''S a rip u tra , th e se n tie n t b e in g s o f th a t lan d w ill b u ild s tu p a s o u t o f th e s ev en
trea su re s fo r th e relics all o v e r that b illio n -w o rld u n iverse, an d w ill offer to the
stu pas t h o u s a n d - p e t a l e ^ g o l d e n lotu s flo w e rs. T h e s e stu p a s an d lotus flo w e rs will
t h e n serve as sp le n d id a d o r n m e n ts o f th at b illio n -w o rld u n i v e r s e . . . .
“ F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip u tra, after T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a has e n te re d great n ir­
332 O n P ure L and

vana. the tru e D h a r m a w ill e n d u r e in his w o r ld fo r a h u n d r e d th o u s a n d k a lp a s .”

T h e r e u p o n , S a rip u tra a sk ed th e B u d d h a , “W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e , fo r [a h u n ­
d red th o u sa n d ] kalp as o f w h a t k in d w ill th e tru e D h a r m a o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a
c i;durc in th e w o r ld ? ”
T h e B u d d h a to ld S arip utra, “T w e n t y sm a ll kalp as m a k e o n e k a lp a ,18 a n d th e
true D h a r m a w ill e n d u r e fo r a h u n d r e d th o u s a n d such kalpas.
"S a rip u tra , after th e e x tin c tio n o f th e true D h a r m a , there w ill b e a g re a t lig h t
illu m in a tin g all th e w o r ld s in th e t e n direction s, an d all th e e a rth s w ill qu ak e ,
m a k in g a g re a t s o u n d . H o w e v e r , [y o u sh o u ld k n o w that] th e t r u e D h a r m a c a n n o t
be d e s tro y e d b y th e celcstial d e m o n s , n o r w ill th e T a th a g a ta an d his disciples pass
i n to o b liv io n o f t h e i r o w n acco rd . It is b e c a u s e p e o p le o f th a t tim e w ill lack in te re st
in le a rn in g th e D h a r m a th a t th o se w h o can e x p o u n d the D h a r m a w ill g o a w ay
f r o m th e m . H e a rin g little o f the tru e D h a rm a , th e p e o p le w ill b e c o m e m o r e
in c re d u lo u s , a n d as a result, th e y w ill n o t strive to practicc th e D h a r m a . S eeing th e
indifference o f th e p e ople, m o n k s w e ll-v c rs e d in the D h a r m a w ill n a tu ra lly w i t h ­
d r a w in to seclu sio n a n d p re a c h th e D h a r m a n o m o re . In this w a y , th e sub tle,
p r o f o u n d tea c h in g o f th e B u d d h a w ill g ra d u a lly d is a p p e a r.”

VI

A t that tim e, th e V e n e ra b le S a rip u tra asked th e B u d d h a , “W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e ,

w h a t causes an d g o o d r o o ts enab le B o d h is a ttv a -M a h a s a ttv a s to b e b o r n in th at
B u d d h a - la n d ? ”
T h e B u d d h a told S a rip utra, ''B o d h is a ttv a -M a h a s a ttv a s w h o w is h to b e b o r n
in th e W o r l d o f W o n d e r f u l J o y sh o u ld fo llo w th e B o d h is a ttv a p ra c tice s c u ltiv ated
b y T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a in th e past, a n d m a k e a great v o w to b e b o r n in th at land.
T h e s e practices a n d this v o w w ill enab le t h e m to be b o r n in th a t B u d d h a -la n d .
“F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip utra, i f B o d h is a ttv a -M a h a s a ttv a s , w h e n p ra c tic in g th e
p a ra m ita o f giv in g , d e d ic a te th e e n s u in g g o o d ro o ts to th e a tt a i n m e n t o f s u p r e m e
e n lig h te n m e n t a n d w is h to m e e t T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , t h e n th e y w ill c o n se q u e n tly
be b o r n in th at B u d d h a -la n d . T h e sam e is tru e i f th e y d o likew ise w h e n practicing
th e p a ra m ita o f discipline, an d so o n u p to th e p a ra m ita o f w is d o m .
“M o r e o v e r , S a rip u tra , th e lig h t o f T a t h a g a t a A k s o b h y a s h i n e s o v e r th e w h o le
b i llio n -w o rld B u d d h a -la n d . O n e s h o u ld v o w to realize s u p r e m e e n li g h t e n m e n t in a
fu tu re life as a re su lt o f seeing this light, so that, after a ttain in g g re a t e n lig h te n m e n t
in th at w ay, he w ill in t u rn e m a n a te a lig h t f r o m his o w n b o d y to illu m in a te the
w h o le w o r ld . S a rip u tra, a B o d h is a ttv a w h o so v o w s will b e b o r n in th a t land.
" F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip utra, T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , th e W o r t h y O n e , th e P e r­
fectly E n lig h te n e d O n e , has a lim itless n u m b e r o f Sravakas. O n e sh o u ld v o w to
see t h e m and, a fte rw a rd s , to p e r f o r m deed s leading to th e a tta in m e n t o f th e B u d ­
d h a 's e n lig h te n m e n t. T h is will enab le o n e to h a v e th e sam e lim itless n u m b e r o f
 P r a i s i n g T a t h Ag a t a A k s o b h y a ' s M erits 333

S ra v a k as a fte r he realizes e n lig h te n m e n t. S arip utra, a B o d h is a ttv a -M a h a s a ttv a w h o

so v o w s c an be b o r n in th a t B u d d h a -la n d .
" F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip u tra, in th at B u d d h a -la n d , th e re are i n n u m e ra b le B o d h i ­
sa ttv a -M a h a s a ttv a s . O n e s h o u ld w ish to see these B o d h isa ttv a s , to learn fr o m
t h e m t h e practice o f m e d ita tio n , to b e w ith th e m at all tim e s , to s tu d y w i t h th e m
th e sa m e vehiclc, a n d to attain th e u ltim a te goal to g e th e r w ith th e m . O n e s h o u ld
w is h to m e e t th o se w h o p u rs u e perfect, g re a t k in d n e s s a n d c o m p a s s io n , w h o seek
e n lig h te n m e n t a n d sra m a n a h o o d , w h o fo r g o th e in te n tio n to fo llo w th e t w o v e h i­
cles, w h o abide in th e real e m p tin e ss, a n d w h o are c o n s ta n tly m in d fu l o f th e n a m e
o f th e A l l- K n o w i n g B u d d h a , th e T a th a g a ta , a n d th e n a m e s o f the D h a rm a a n d the
S aihg ha.
''S a rip u tra , e v e n th o s e g o o d m e n a n d g o o d w o m e n w h o h a v e h e a rd th e
n a m e s o f su c h B o d h is a ttv a s w ill b e b o r n in th a t B u d d h a -la n d , let alon e th o se w h o
plan t g o o d ro o ts in h a r m o n y w i th th e p a ra m ita o f w i s d o m a n d d e d ic a te t h e m to
T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , th e W o r t h y O n e , th e Pcrfcctly E n lig h te n e d O n e . S a rip utra,
th ese arc causes a n d c o n d itio n s w h ic h enab le o n e to b e b o r n in th a t B u d d h a - l a n d
w i th o u t fail.
“ F u r th e rm o re , S a rip u tra, B o d h is a ttv a -M a h a s a ttv a s w h o w i s h to be b o r n in
th a t B u d d h a - l a n d s h o u ld o fte n v isu alize th e B u d d h a s , th e T a th a g a ta s, e x p o u n d i n g
th e subtle, w o n d e rfu l D h a r m a in th e in n u m e ra b le e a ste rn w o r ld s , to g e th e r w ith
th e ir disciplcs. T h e y sh o u ld v o w : ‘I w ill realize e n lig h te n m e n t, e x p o u n d th e subtle,
w o n d e r f u l D h a r m a , a n d h a v e [a lim itless n u m b e r o f] disciples, j u s t as th o se B u d ­
d h as d o .，
''S a rip u tra , th ese B o d h is a ttv a s sh o u ld cultiv ate th e g o o d ro o ts o f th e th ree
k in d s o f re co llcc tio n ;19 th e y sh o u ld w ish to practice rc co llcc tio n t o g e th e r w ith all
s en tien t bein gs equally, an d d cdicatc these g o o d ro o ts to th e a tta in m e n t o f s u p re m e
e n lig h te n m e n t.
" S a rip u tra , th e B o d h isa ttv a s' g o o d ro o ts th u s d e d ica te d are limitless. S u p ­
p o se all s e n tie n t b e in g s, each h o ld in g a c o n ta in e r w ith th e sam e c apacity as th at o f
[all] space, said [to o n e o f th e B o d h isattv as], ‘G re a t m a n , please g iv e m e s o m e o f
y o u r g o o d r o o t s . ’ S a rip u tra, th ese g o o d ro o ts, s u p p o s in g th e y w e re m a te ria l an d
g iv e n to th e sen tien t b ein gs, w o u ld fill all th e ir c o n tain e rs a n d th e co n tain e rs
w o u ld b e ta k e n a w a y w ith o u t e x h a u stin g th e g o o d roots. [W hy?] B ecause these
g o o d ro o ts are d e d ica te d to th e a tta in m e n t o f su p re m e e n lig h te n m e n t, a n d so arc
infinite a n d u n ch a n g ea b le .
''S a rip u tra , b ecausc o f these g o o d ro o ts, w h ic h are ach iev ed th r o u g h th ese
th re e k in d s o f re c o lle c tio n a n d are d e d ica te d to a ll-k n o w in g w is d o m , o n e w ill be
fo llo w e d | an d p ro te c te d ] b y th e T h r e e J e w e ls w h e r e v e r h e goes. S arip utra, y o u
s h o u ld k n o w t h a t i f a B o d h is a ttv a has ach iev ed these g o o d ro o ts , h e w ill n o t fall to
a n y m is e ra b le p la n e o f existence, he w ill be able to su b ju g a te P a p iy a n a n d o th e r
d e m o n s , a n d h e w ill b e b o r n as he w ish e s in an y B u d d h a -la n d in th e east, sou th,
w e st, n o rth , n o rth e a st, n o rth w e s t, so u th e ast, so u th w e s t, th e zenith , o r th e nadir.
T h e re fo re , a B o d h is a ttv a -M a h a s a ttv a s h o u ld a c c u m u la te th e g o o d r o o ts o f such
334 O n P ure Land

re co llection, and, h a v in g a c c u m u la te d th e m , d edicate th e m to T a th a g a ta A k s o ­

bhya. In this w a y h e can b e b o r n in th at B u d d h a -la n d .
" F u r th e r m o r e , S arip utra, the m e rits a n d v a st a d o r n m e n t s o f th e B u d d h a -
lan d o f T a t h a g a t a A k s o b h y a c a n n o t b e fo u n d in a n y o th e r o f th e c o u n tle ss B u d d h a -
lands. A B o d h is a ttv a -M a h a s a ttv a , th ere fo re, s h o u ld resolv e thus: ‘B y v irtu e o f
these g o o d ro o ts, I w is h to see th at land, a cqu ire its a d o rn m e n ts , a n d see th e
B o d h is a ttv a s t h e r e .，B y d o in g this, S arip utra, th e B o d h is a ttv a w ill b e b o r n in th at
B u d d h a -la n d .
"'Sariputra, B o d h is a ttv a -M a h a s a ttv a s w h o w ish to be b o r n in th at B u d d h a -
land s h o u ld g e n e ra te an in te n s e a sp ira tio n fo r it. Sarip utra, i f g o o d m e n o r g o o d
w o m e n h a v e g e n e ra te d such in te n se asp iration , I w ill p re d ict t h e i r b i r th in th at
B u d d h a -la n d .
"'Sariputra, a city is n o t m a g n if ic e n t w i t h o u t su c h e m b e llis h m e n ts as to w e rs ,
g a rd e n s , g ro v e s, p o n d s , a n d places fo r ele p h a n ts a n d h o rses to ro a m , t h o u g h its
ru le r m a y h a v e p o w e r to m a in ta in p eace a n d o rd e r. S im ilarly, S a rip u tra, since m y
B u d d h a -la n d d o es n o t h a v e th e sa m e m e rits [as T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a 's ], it is n o t as
m a g n ific e n tly a d o r n e d . . . .
''S arip utra, T a th a g a ta A k so b h y a leads the B o d h isattv as an d follo w ers o f o th e r
vehicles in o t h e r lands as w ell as in th e W o rld o f W o n d e rf u l Joy. S a rip u tra, i f g o o d
m e n a n d g o o d w o m e n , after h e arin g th e D h a r m a - d o o r o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a 's
m erits, are w ell able to accept, u p h o ld , read, recite, an d c o m p r e h e n d it, a n d w is h
to b e b o r n in th at land, t h e n T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a w ill a lw a y s p r o tc c t an d r e m e m ­
b e r th e m u n til th e tim e o f th e ir d e ath, an d w ill ke ep d e m o n s a n d d e m o n s ’ re tin u e s
fro m c au sin g t h e m to regress fr o m th e ir d e te rm in a tio n .
"'Sariputra, y o u sh o u ld k n o w th at rig h t u p to th e ir a tta in m e n t o f s u p re m e
e n li g h t e n m e n t , th ese g o o d m e n a n d g o o d w o m e n w ill be free f r o m th e fear o f
re g re ssio n ; free f r o m h a r m b y w a te r, fire, kn ives, c u dgels, fe ro c io u s beasts, an d
p o is o n o u s insects; a n d free fr o m th e te r r o r o f |evil] h u m a n s o r n o n h u m a n s . W h y ?
B e ca u se th e y are a lw a y s p r o te c t e d a n d r e m e m b e r e d b y T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , an d
w ill b e b o r n in his B u d d h a -la n d .
''S a rip u tra , j u s t as th e sun, t h o u g h far a w ay , gives lig h t to th e sen tien t
b e in g s o f this w o r ld , so T a th a g a ta A k so b h y a, t h o u g h far aw ay, illum inates the
B o d h is a ttv a s o f o th e r w o rld s.
''S a rip u tra , j u s t as a m o n k w h o has th e d e v a -e y e can sec differen t th in g s 20 in
the distance, so T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a , w h ile re m a in in g in his o w n land, can see the
fo r m s o f all k in d s o f B o d h isattv as in o th e r w o rld s.
''S a rip u tra , f u r th e rm o re , ju s t as a m o n k w h o has acq u ire d th e perfect c o m ­
m a n d o f th e p o w e r o f [k n o w in g o t h e r s ， ] t h o u g h t s can read th e m in d s o f sen tien t
b e in g s e v e n i f he is re m o te fr o m th em , so T ath a g ata A k s o b h y a can perceive the
m in d s o f th e B o d h is a ttv a s in o th e r w o rld s.
“ S arip utra, j u s t as a m o n k w h o has attained th e d c v a -c a r can h e a r an y s o u n d
at a distance, so T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a can h e a r th e sen tien t b e in g s liv in g in o t h e r
w o r ld s say, ‘I w is h to be b o r n in th at l a n d . ，S a rip utra, T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a k n o w s
 P raisin g T athagata A k s o b h y a 's M e r i t s 335

th e n a m e s o f all su c h g o o d m e n an d g o o d w o m e n ; he k n o w s , pro te cts, an d

r e m e m b e r s all th o se w h o accept, u p h o ld , read, recite, a n d c o m p r e h e n d this D h a r ­
m a-d o o r o f m erits.”
S a rip u tra th e n said to th e B u d d h a , “It is m o s t e x tra o rd in a ry , W o r l d - H o n ­
o re d O n e , th at th at B u d d h a , th e W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e , p ro te c ts a n d re m e m b e rs
th o s e B o d h is a ttv a - M a h a s a ttv a s .55
A fte r S a rip u tra said this, th e B u d d h a to ld h im , “ So it is, so it is. As y o u say,
T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a p ro te c ts a n d re m e m b e r s th o se B o d h is a ttv a -M a h a s a ttv a s . W h y ?
B ecause, b y p ro te c tin g a n d r e m e m b e r in g B o d h isa ttv a s, he p ro te c ts a n d re m e m b e r s
all sen tien t beings.
''S a rip u tra , an a n o in te d k s a triy a k in g w h o has m a n y b a rn s full o f g ra in an d
b e an s w ill stric tly c o m m a n d th e k e e p e r to g u a rd t h e m w ell. W h y ? B ecause h e will
th e n be able to re liev e [the h u n g e r of] sen tien t b e in g s w h e n fa m in e occurs. S im i­
larly, S a rip u tra, th e T a th a g a ta re n d e rs g o o d p ro te c tio n to th o se B o d h is a ttv a s so
th at, after his p a rin irv an a, th e y w ill realize s u p r e m e e n lig h te n m e n t a n d s e rv e as an
a b u n d a n t harvest d u rin g th e fa m in e o f th e tru e D h a rm a .
"'Sariputra, in this w o r ld , t h e r e are B o d h is a ttv a s w h o , after h e a r in g th e
D h a r m a - d o o r o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a 's m erits, can accept, u p h o ld , read, recite,
a n d c o m p re h e n d it, a n d w ish to be b o m in th at B u d d h a -la n d . Y o u sho uld k n o w
th a t these p e o p le h a v e attain ed n o n r e g r e s s i o n . . . .
''S a rip u tra , g o o d m e n a n d g o o d w o m e n w ith p u re faith s h o u ld e x p o u n d this
m e rit- p ra is in g D h a r m a - d o o r to o th e rs at all tim es. T h o s e w h o d o so w ill be
c leansed o f all d e file m e n ts in t h e ir p re sen t lifetim es, o r [at m o s t] in t w o lifetim es.
“F u r th e r m o r e , S arip utra, this D h a r m a - d o o r o f p ra isin g T a th a g a ta A k s o -
b h y a ’s m e rits c a n n o t b e accepted b y foolish, shallow people. It can be accepted
a n d u p h e ld o n ly b y th o se w ith p ro fo u n d , vast w is d o m . Sariputra, th o s e g o o d m e n
a n d g o o d w o m e n [w ith such w is d o m ] w ill see B u d d h a s a n d w ill c ertainly o b tain
this m e rit- p ra is in g D h a r m a - d o o r in th e ir p re se n t lifetim es.
"'Sariputra, s u p p o s e there are priceless pearls ta k e n fr o m the sea. W h o do
y o u th in k will b e th e first to obtain these priceless trea su re s? ”
S a rip u tra said to th e B u d d h a , “W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e , k ings, princes, and
m in iste rs w ill b e th e first to o b ta in t h e m . ”
T h e B u d d h a to ld S a rip u tra, “In th e sa m e w a y , B o d h is a ttv a s w ill b e th e first
to a cq u ire th e D h a r m a - d o o r o f th at B u d d h a ’s m erits, a n d th o se B o d h is a ttv a s will
attain th e sta g e o f n o n re g re s sio n . T h e y w ill surely b e able to accept, up h o ld , read,
recite, a n d c o m p r e h e n d this D h a r m a after h e a rin g it; th e y w ill diligently s tu d y th e
n a tu re o f su c h n e ss fo r th e p u rp o s e o f a ttain in g s u p re m e e n li g h t e n m e n t .’，
S a rip u tra said to th e B u d d h a , “ W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e , i f B o d h is a tt\ as w is h to
abide in th e stage o f n o n rc g re s sio n , th ey sho uld accept, u p h o ld , re a d ，recite, an d
c o m p r e h e n d th is m e rit-p ra is in g D h a r m a - d o o r after h e a rin g it. W h y ? B ecause H o -
d h is a ttv a - M a h a s a ttv a s w h o abid e in this D h a r m a - d o o r w ill n o t regress fr o m [their
re alizatio n o f] th e D h a r m a - n a t u r e . ’’
T h e B u d d h a to ld S a rip u tra, “I f a m a n , in o r d e r to h e a r this D h a r m a , gave
336 O n P ure L and

a w a y e n o u g h g o ld to fill th e e n tire w o r ld , he m ig h t still be u n a b le to h e a r it. W h y ?

B c ca u sc this m e r i to r io u s D h a r m a c a n n o t be u p h e ld b y sen tien t b e in g s w i th m e a g e r
blessings.
" F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip u tra, i f fo llo w e rs o f t h e S ra v a k a-v eh ic le acccpt, u p h o ld ,
read, a n d recite this m e rito rio u s D h a r m a - d o o r after h e a rin g it, a n d pra c ticc it
d ilig e n tly in o r d e r to c o n fo rm to s u p r e m e e n lig h te n m e n t a n d su chness, t h e y will
attain re aliz atio n 21 in th e ir n e x t lifetim es; th e y w ill a ttain c a n d id a c y fo r B u d d h a h o o d
in t w o lifetim es; th e y w ill a ttain s u p re m e e n lig h te n m e n t in n o m o r e thanf th ree
lifeti mes. . . .
" F u r th e r m o r e , S a rip u tra, if, in p u rsu it o f this D h a r m a - d o o r , g o o d m e n a n d
g o o d w o m e n listen to, accept, u p h o ld , read, recite, an d circulate it in a village o r
t o w n , a n d fo r this p u r p o s e live in th e h o u s e s o f lay p eo p le t h o u g h th e y th e m s e lv e s
are m o n k s o r n u n s, I w ill say th e y are faultless an d will a llo w th e m to stay in such
places. W h y ? B ecause these g o o d m e n an d g o o d w o m e n arc try in g to k e e p this
D h a r m a f r o m falling in to o b liv io n af te r th e ir death. S a rip utra, e v e n i f th e village o r
t o w n is far a w a y , th e s e B o d h is a ttv a s still s h o u ld g o an d stay th e re to accept,
u p h o ld , read, a n d recite this D h a r m a - d o o r , a n d reveal an d e x p o u n d it to oth e rs.
''S a rip u tra , g o o d m e n an d g o o d w o m e n sh o u ld m a k e this v o w : ‘I s h o u ld n o t
th in k o f re g re ssin g f r o m the p u rs u it o f s u p re m e e n lig h te n m e n t, fo r I h a v e h e a rd
th e n a m e o f the D h a r m a - d o o r 22 o f T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a . " . . .
S a rip u tra said to th e B u d d h a , “W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e , this D h a r m a - d o o r can
b rin g v ast m e r i ts .”
T h e B u d d h a to ld S arip utra, " S o it is, so it is, as y o u have said. S a rip u tra, if a
c o u n t r y is assailed b y h a ils to rm s , u n tim e ly th u n d e r, o r oth e r terrib le th in g s, g o o d
m e n a n d g o o d w o m e n sh o u ld c o n c e n tra te th e ir m in d s o n T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a an d
in v o k e his n a m e ;23 this w ill p u t an e n d to all th e disasters. | W hy?] B e ca u se in the
past, th a t T ath a g ata h e lp e d h u n d re d s o f th o u sa n d s o f d ra g o n s o u t o f th eir suffer­
in g s .24 B e cause his c o m p a s s io n a te o riginal v o w s arc genuine a n d sincere, a n d b e ­
cause h e w ish e s to fulfil th e d e d ica tio n o f his g o o d ro o ts w i th o u t fail, all th o s e w h o
in v o k e his n a m e w ill h a v e th e ir s o r r o w an d distress reliev ed sp o n ta n e o u sly , ex ce p t
th o se sen tien t b e in g s w h o s e p re v io u s [evil] k a rm a s h a v e r ip e n e d .”
S a rip u tra said to th e B u d d h a , “W o r l d - H o n o r e d O n e , B o d h is a ttv a s w h o w ish
to realize s u p r e m e e n lig h te n m e n t in this life sh o u ld act as T a th a g a ta A k s o b h y a
a c te d w h e n h e w a s fulfilling his v o w s . ”
T h e B u d d h a to ld S arip utra, “So it is, so it i s . . .
A t th a t tim e, th e g o d s o f the R e a lm o f D e sire an d th e g o d s o f the B r a h m a
H e a v e n all j o in e d th e ir p a lm s t o w a r d [A k so b h y a] B u d d h a , p ro s tra te d th e m se lv e s
to p a y h o m a g e to h im , a n d c h a n te d th ree tim es: ‘‘W e pa y h o m a g e to T a th a g a ta
A k s o b h y a , th e W o r t h y O n e , th e Perfectly E n lig h te n e d O n e , w h o is m o s t e x tr a o r ­
d in a ry ; and w e tak e refuge in T a th a g a ta S a k y a m u n i, the W o r t h y O n e , the P e r­
fectly E n lig h te n e d O n e o f this w o rld , w h o is so skillful in e x p o u n d i n g this m e rit-
praising D h a r m a - d o o r . ”
T h e n th e g o d s o f the R e a lm o f D e sire s tr e w e d flo w e rs o f th e coral tree an d
 P raisin g T athagata A k s o b h y a 's M e r i t s 337

cclestial in ce n se o v e r th e B u d d h a . In th e air, th e in c e n s e an d flo w e rs fused an d

fo r m e d a c a n o p y . F u r th e rm o re , th e g o d s sc a tte re d th e celestial flo w e rs a n d incense
t o w a r d A k s o b h y a B u d d h a as o fferin g s f r o m a f a r . . . .
W h e n th e B u d d h a h a d e x p o u n d e d this D h a r m a - d o o r , five h u n d r e d m o n k s
a c q u ire d m e n ta l l ib e ra tio n c o n c e rn in g th e undefiled D h a rm a ; five t h o u s a n d B o d ­
h isattv as, six t h o u s a n d n u n s , e ig h t th o u s a n d la y m e n , te n th o u s a n d l a y w o m e n , an d
n u m e r o u s g o d s o f the R e a lm o f D e sire all w ish e d to be b o r n in th at B u d d h a -la n d .
T h e r e u p o n , th e T a th a g a ta p re d ic te d th at th e y w o u ld all b e b o rn in th at B u d d h a -
land. . . .
W h e n th e B u d d h a finished e x p o u n d in g th is sutra, S arip utra, t h e go d s, h u ­
m an s, asuras, g a n d h a rv a s , ga ru d as, k innaras, a n d m a h o ra g a s w e re all ju b ila n t o v e r
th e B u d d h a ’s T each ing . T h e y accepted it w ith faith a n d b e g a n to practicc it w ith
v e n e ratio n .

NOTES

1. T o be liberated in w isdom m eans the complete eradication o f subtle ignorancc or

innate ego-clinging, w hich is the obstruction to w isdom . T o be liberated in m ind implies the
liberation from passions and defilements w hich arc the obstructions to meditation.
2. T h e text reads “past and future,” but this was not the question asked. Also, it is
inappropriate here, for the entire sutra is an account o f Aksobhya w h o is a past Bodhisattva.
Therefore w c have deleted “and future.”
3. This vow and m an y others in this sutra arc sublime and exalted. T h ey seem to be o f
superhum an nature, beyond the reach o f ordinary hu m an beings. H ow ever, this can also be
interpreted as m eaning that it was because o f Aksobhya B u d d h a ’s su p e rh u m an effort that he
was able to create such an extraordinary pure land, thus enabling the sentient beings there to
practicc D h a rm a easily in pcacc and joy. (G.C.)
4. A ksobhya means ‘the Im m ovable O n e ’.
5. Bhiksus sh o u ld have no m o re than three sets o f robes. M ost o f the item s in this list
.ire a m o n g the twelve ascctic practices allowed by the Buddha.
6. If A ksobhya lived in our Saha W orld, I d o u b t if he w ould have tim e for anything
.lsc, ( G .C .)
、

7. T o the best o f m y know ledge, neither in Hinayana, M ahayana, nor Tantric teach­
ings is a “w e t d re a m ” or sexual desire in a dream considered to be a violation o f prcccpts.
becausc a pu re ly physical, involuntary action cannot be construed as an offense. (Ci. C .)
8. A lternate translation: . . he could causc innum erable hundreds o f rhousands o f
< n ric n t beings to plant g o o d roots leading to suprem e enlightenm ent, and to dcdicatc those
二ood roots to the attainm ent o f suprem e enlightenm ent and o f a pure Buddha-land. T h ro u g h

:.ie p o w er o f his dedication his vow s were all fulfilled.”

9. T h e text reads “half a kro sa ." A krosa is the distance that the low ing o f an ox can be
338 O n P ure L and

10. T he three miserable planes o f cxistcncc arc usually listed as the planes o f hcll-
dw ellcrs. h u n g ry ghosts, and animals.
11. Instead o f “coldncss” （寒 ），the text reads “yellow ness” （黃 ），w hich w c think m ay be
a m isprint. (See 增 一 阿 含 經 Taish6 2122, p. 986) . W c do not k n o w cxactly w hat kinds o f
，

diseases the three arc. (W .H.)

12. O ne o f the four continents in Buddhist cosm ology.
13. A N o n rc tu rn cr will n ot return to this world, the Realm o f Desire, before he is
liberated, but he will be born in either the Realm o f F orm or the Realm o f Formlessness.
14. This refers to the tradition that in the W o rth y Kalpa, a total o f one thousand
B uddhas will appear. Sincc Sakyam uni B uddha was the fourth, 996 m ore will appear.
15. Literally, “w h o arc not thinking o f the assem bly.”
16. This scntcncc is a free translation. T he text literally reads: “Similarly, [conccrning]
those Bodhisattvas born in the Land o f W onderful Joy, Papiyan's road is en d ed .”
17. A swastika is an auspicious symbol in Buddhism.
18. Such a kalpa is callcd a “m e d iu m kalpa.M See Glossary, “kalpa.”
19. T h e three kinds o f rccollcction arc probably the rccollcction o f the B uddha, the
D h a rm a, and the Sarhgha.
20. Literally, “g o o d and bad fo rm s.”
21. Literally, “rcach achievement.”
22. Here w e see the p o w e r oi the nam e o f the D h a rm a -D o o r o f Praising T athagata
A ksobhya's Merits. As f ar as the practicc o f the Pure Land teaching is conccrncd, how ever, it
is m ost im p o rta n t to rccollcct and repeat the B u d d h a 's n am e constantly. O n e sho u ld also
rccollect the Buddha's original vows, his merits, purity, land, ctc. Sincc w c treat this sutra as
a Pure Land discourse, it seems appropriate to stress the im portance o f rccollccting T athagata
Aksobhya's name.
23. This is an example o f the power o f repeating the Buddha's name.
24. A ccording to B uddhist m y thology, dragons causc som e natural disasters such as
floods, thunder, and hailstorms. Bccausc he helped the dragons in the past, T athagata Akso­
bhya has the power to influcncc them to stop causing such disasters.
 18 無量壽如來會

The Land of Utmost Bliss

T hus have I heard. O ncc the B uddha was dwelling on M o u n t G rdhrakuta near the
city o f Rajagrha, accompanied by tw elve thousand great m onks, who were great
Sravakas well k n o w n to everyone. A m o n g them , the forem ost were the Venerable
. . . Ma h a k a s y a p a , Sariputra, M aham audgalyayana, . . . Rahula, a n d A n a n d a .
S u rrounding the B uddha w ere also such leading Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas as
Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, Bodhisattva Manjusri, Bodhisattva Maitreya, and
other Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas o f the W orthy K a lp a .. . .
All these Bodhisattvas followed the path o f Sam antabhadra、T hey had ful­
filled all the practices and vo w s o f a Bodhisattva. T hey abided securely in all
m eritorious dharmas, and had reached the ultim ate oth er shore o f B uddha-D har-
mas. T hey aspired to attain suprem e enlightenm ent in all the w o r l d s .. . .
At that time, the Venerable Ananda rose from his scat, adjusted his robe,
bared his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palm s tow ard the
Buddha, and said, “Most virtuous W orld-H onored O ne, your body and organs are
completely pure，shedding an awesome light as bright as that o f a pile o f gold, and
shining like a clear mirror. I have never seen such a sight before. I am filled with
joy to have this rare chance to gaze at them. W orld-H onored O ne. you have
perfected the deeds o f a Tathagata and have skillfully established the deeds o f a
Great M an. N o w , entering the great, tranquil dhyana, you are thinking about past,
present, and future Buddhas. W o rld-H onored O ne, w h y do you have such a
th o u g h t in m ind?”
T hereupon, the B uddha asked A nanda, “H o w can y o u k n o w this? Is it

Sutra 5，T aisho 310 ，pp. 91-101; translated in to Chinese by Bodhiruci.

340 O n P ure Land

becausc som e gods have com c to tell you? O r becausc you see m e and k n o w it by
yourself?”
A nanda answ ered the Buddha, “W orld-H onored One, this idea occurs to me
becausc I see the extraordinary, auspicious light o f the Tathagata, not bccausc the
gods have told m e .”
The B uddha told Ananda, “ Excellent, cxccllcnt! You have asked a very good
question. It is because you are very observant and w onderfully eloquent that you
can ask the Tathagata such a question. Y ou have brought up this question so that
in this w orld m ay appear all Tathagatas, the W orthy Ones, the Perfectly Enlight­
ened Ones, and the great Bodhisattvas as well, for they all abide sccurcly in great
com passion to benefit sentient beings, and their appearance in the w orld is as rare
as the blossom ing o f an udum bara flower. It is also becausc you take pity on
sentient beings and wish to benefit and gladden them that you ask the Tathagata
this question.
“Ananda, the Tathagata, the W orthy One, the Pcrfcctly Enlightened O ne, is
skilled in revealing im measurable know ledge and views. W hy? Because the T a­
thagata is unhindered in his knowledge and view s.” . . .
T hen the B uddha told Ananda, “An innumerable, incalculable n u m b er o f
great kalpas ago, there was a B uddha . . . nam ed Freest in the W orld, the T atha­
gata, the W orthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened O ne, the O n e Pcrfect in Learning
and Conduct, the W ell-Gone O ne, the W orld-K now cr, the Uncxccllcd O ne, the
Great Tamer, the Teacher o f G ods and H um ans, the Buddha, the W orld-H onored
One.
“A nanda, in the era o f that Buddha, there was a m o n k nam ed D harm akara.
H e was a m an o f superior deeds and vows, and had strong pow ers o f mindfulness
and w isdom . H e was firm and im m ovable in mind. He had great blessings and
know ledge and his features w ere handsome.
“Ananda, [one day], M o n k D harm akara w ent to the Tathagata Freest in the
W orld, bared his right shoulder, bow ed d o w n w ith his head at the B u d d h a’s feet,
joined his palms tow ard the Buddha, and praised him in v e r s e . . . .
“Ananda, after M o n k D harm akara had praised the Buddha's merits, he said,
‘W o rld -H o n o red O ne, n o w I am determ ined to pursue suprem e enlightenment.
M ay the Tathagata expound to m e the doctrines that will cause me to attain the
great enlightenment unequaled in the world, and to develop a pure, magnificent
Buddha-land!”
“T hat B uddha told the m onk, ‘Y ou should develop a pure Buddha-land by
yourself.’
"'Dharmakara said to that Buddha, ‘W orld-H onored O ne, I have no pow er
to develop one. M ay the Tathagata relate the purity and magnificence o f other
Buddha-lands! I swear to endow [m y Buddha-land w ith those pure, magnificent
qualities] after hearing them revealed.1
“T hereupon, that W orld-H onored O n e told him in detail the perfect adorn­
 T he L a n d of U t m o s t B liss 341

m ents o f tw o billion one h undred million pure Buddha-lands. It took that B u d ­

dha a hundred million years to do this.
“Ananda, M o n k D harm akara assimilated all th e pure, magnificent qualities
o f these tw o billion one hundred million Buddha-lands. T hen he engaged in con­
tem plation and practice o f [fulfilling] them for five complete kalpas.”
A nanda asked the Buddha, “ W orld-H onored O ne, how long did Tathagata
Freest in the W orld live?”
T he W orld -H o no red O n e answered, “T h at B uddha lived for forty kalpas.
A nanda, the Buddha-land w hich M o n k D harm akara w ould develop surpasses any
o f the tw o billion one h u n d red m illion Buddha-lands m entioned above. After he
had assimilated [all the practices for developing a Buddha-land], he w en t to T atha­
gata Freest in the Wor.ld, bow ed d o w n w ith his head at that B u d d h a’s feet, cir­
cum am bulated him seven times to the right, stood to one side, and said, 'W orld-
H o no red One, I have assimilated [all the practices to develop] a pure, magnificent
Buddha-land w ith full m erits .，
“T h at B uddha said, ‘It is time for you to reveal the practices completely, so
that you can m ake the assembly joyful, and also enable them to develop perfect
B uddha-lands.5
"D harm akara said, ‘M ay the W o rld-H onored One be so kind as to listen.
N o w I am going to proclaim m y great ；$ows:

(1) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if there w ould still be the planes
o f hell-dwellers, hungry ghosts, and animals in m y land.1
(2) I shall not attain supreme enlightenm ent if any sentient being from
m y land w ould fall to the three miserable planes o f existence [in other
lands].
(3) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if the sentient beings in m y land
w o uld not all be endow ed w ith a com plexion o f genuine gold.
(4) I shall not attain suprem e cnlightenem ent if there w ould be such distinc­
tions as good and ugly appearances am ong the sentient beings in my
land.
(5) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if any sentient being in m y land
v/ould fail to achieve the p o w e r to rem em ber the past lives o f him self
[and others]— even events that happened hundreds o f thousands o f [mil­
lions of] billions o f myriads o f kalpas ago.
(6) I shall n ot attain suprem e enlightenm ent if any sentient being in m y land
w o uld not be endow ed w ith the dcva-eye, enabling him to see hundreds
o f thousands o f [millions of] billions o f myriads o f Buddha-lands.
(7) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if any sentient being in m y land
w o uld fail to obtain the dcva-car, enabling him to hear the D harm a
expounded by another B uddha hundreds o f thousands o f [millions of]
billions o f m yriads o f leagues away.
342 O n P ure L and

(8) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if any sentient being in m y land
w ould not be en d ow ed w ith the p o w e r o f k n o w ing others' minds, so
that he w ould not k n o w the mentalities o f the sentient beings in h u n ­
dreds o f thousands o f [millions of] billions o f m yriads o f other Buddha-
lands.
(9) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if any sentient being in m y land
w ould fail to achieve the pcrfcct m astery o f the po w er to appear any­
w here at w ill,2 so that he w ould not be able to traverse hundreds of
thousands o f [millions of] billions o f myriads o f Buddha-lands in a flash
o f thought.
(10) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if any sentient being in m y land
w ould entertain even an iota o f the n o tio n o f T and ‘m in e .，
(11) I shall not attain supreme enlightenm ent if any sentient being in m y land
w ould not certainly achieve suprem e enlightenm ent and realize great
nirvana.
(12) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if m y light w o u ld be so limited
as to be unable to illuminate hundreds o f thousands o f [millions of]
billions o f m yriads— or any n um ber— of Buddha-lands.
(13) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if m y life span w ould be limited
to even hundreds o f thousands o f [millions o f| billions o f m yriads o f
kalpas, or any countable n u m b er o f kalpas.
(14) 1 shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if anyone w ould be able to
k n o w the n u m b er o f Sravakas in m y land. E ven if all the sentient beings
and Pratyekabuddhas in a billion-w orld universe exercised their utm ost
counting p o w e r to count together for hundreds o f thousands o f years,
they w ould not be able to k n o w it.
(15) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if any sentient being in m y land
w o uld have a limited life span, except those w h o arc b o rn due to their
vows.
(16) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if any sentient being in m y land
w ould have a bad reputation.
(17) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if m y land w ould not be praised
and acclaimed by innumerable Buddhas in countless Buddha-lands.
(18) When I realize supreme enlightenment, there will be sentient beings in
other Buddha-lands w ho, after hearing m y name, dedicate their good
roots to birth in m y land in th o u g h t after thought. Even if they have
only ten such thoughts, they will be b o m in m y land, except for those
w ho have perform ed karm as leading to the U n in terru p ted Hell and those
w ho speak ill o f the true D harm a or saints. If this w ould not be the case,
I shall not attain enlightenment.
(19) W hen I bccom e a Buddha, I shall appear w ith an assembly o f m o n k s at
the deathbeds o f sentient beings o f other Buddha-lands w ho have b ro u g h t
forth bodhicitta, w h o think o f m y land w ith a pure mind, and w h o
 T he L a n d of U t m o s t B liss 343

dedicate their good roots to birth in the Land o f U tm o st Bliss. 3 I shall not
attain suprem e enlightenm ent if I w ould fail to do so.
(20) W hen I becom e a Buddha, all the sentient beings in countless Buddha-
lands, w ho, having heard m y nam e and dedicated their good roots to
birth in the Land o f U tm ost Bliss, will be born there. O therw ise, I shall
not attain suprem e enlightenment.
(21) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if any Bodhisattva in m y land
w o uld fail to achieve the th irty-tw o auspicious signs.
(22) I shall n o t attain suprem e enlightenm ent if any Bodhisattvas in m y land
on their w ay to great bodhi w ould fail to reach the stage o f being only
one lifetime aw ay from Buddhahood. This excludes those Bodhisattvas
w ith great vo w s w h o w ear the arm o r o f vigor for the sake o f sentient
beings; w h o strive to do beneficial deeds and cultivate great nirvana; w ho
perform the deeds o f a Bodhisattva throughout all Buddha-lands and
m ake offerings to all Buddhas, the Tathagatas; and w h o establish as
m an y sentient beings as the sands o f the Ganges in suprem e enlighten­
ment. [This also excludes] those w h o seek liberation by following the
path o f Samantabhadra, devoting themselves to [Bodhisattvas,| practiccs
even m ore than those [who have attained the stage o f being only one
liftimc aw ay from Buddhahood].
(23) I shall n o t attain suprem e enlightenm ent if th e Bodhisattvas in m y land
w ould not, by the aw esom e pow er o f the Buddha, be able to m ake
offerings to countless hundreds o f thousands o f (millions of] billions o f
m yriads o f Buddhas in o th er Buddha-lands every m orning and return to
their ow n land before mealtime.
(24) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if the Bodhisattvas in m y land
w ould not possess every variety o f offering they need to plant good roots
in various Buddha-lands.
(25) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if the Bodhisattvas in m y land
w ould not be skilled in expounding the essence o f the D harm a in har­
m o n y w ith all-know ing w isdom .
(26) I shall n o t attain suprem e enlightenm ent if the Bodhisattvas in m y land
w ould not have the enorm ous strength o f a Narayana.
(27) W hen I becom e a Buddha, no o n e will be able to describe completely
the articles o f adornm ent in m y land; even one w ith the deva-eve will
not be able to k n o w all their varieties o f shape, color, and brilliancc.
If anyone could k n o w and describe them all, I shall not attain suprem e
enlightenment.
(28) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if in m y land there w ould be
Bodhisattvas w ith inferior roots o f virtue w h o could not k n o w the n u ­
m erous kinds o f trees, one hundred thousand leagues high, w hich will
abound in m y land.
(29) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if those sentient beings in m y
344 O n P ure L and

land w h o read and rccitc siitras and explain them to others w ould not
acquirc superb cloqucncc.
(30) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if any Bodhisattva in m y land
w ould be unable to achicvc limitless cloqucncc.
(31) W hen I bccom c a Buddha, m y land will be unequaled in brightness and
purity; it will clearly illuminate countlcss, num berless Buddha-lands—
inconccivablc in n u m b e r ~ ju s t as a clear m irror reveals o n e’s features. If
this w o uld not be so, I shall n o t attain supreme enlightenment.
(32) W hen I bccom c a Buddha, there will be innum erable kinds o f incense on
land and in the air within the borders o f m y land, and there will be
hundreds o f thousands o f [millions of] billions o f m yriads o f prccious
censers, from w hich will rise the fragrancc o f the incense, perm eating all
o f spacc. The inccnsc will be superior to the m ost cherished incense o f
hum ans and gods, and will be used as an offering to Tathagatas and
Bodhisattvas. If this w ould not be the case, I shall not attain suprem e
enlightenment.
(33) W hen I bccom c a Buddha, sentient beings in countlcss realms— incon­
ccivablc and unequaled in n um ber— throughout the ten directions w ho
arc touched by the aw esom e light o f the Buddha will feel m ore secure
and joyful in body and m ind than other hum ans or gods. Otherwise, I
shall not attain suprem e enlightenment.
(34) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if Bodhisattvas in countlcss
Buddha-lands— inconccivablc and unequaled in num ber— w ould not real­
ize [the truth of] nonarising and acquirc dharanis after they hear m y
name.
(35) W hen I bccom c a Buddha, all the w o m en in numberless Buddha-lands—
inconccivablc and unequaled in n u m b er— who, after hearing m y name,
acquirc pure faith, bring forth bodhicitta, and arc tired o f the female
body, will rid them selves o f the female body in their future lives. If this
w ould not be the ease, I shall not attain supreme enlightenment.
(36) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if Bodhisattvas in countlcss
Buddha-lands— inconccivablc and unequaled in n u m b er— w ho attain the
doctrinc o f nonarising4 after hearing m y nam e w ould fail to cultivate
superb, pure conduct until they attain great bodhi.
(37) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if, w hen I bccom c a Buddha,
hum ans and gods w ould not pay hom age to all the Bodhisattvas o f
num berless Buddha-lands w ho, after hearing m y name, prostrate th em ­
selves [in obeisance to me] and cultivate the deeds o f a Bodhisattva w ith a
pure mind.
(38) W h e n I bccom c a B uddha, sentient beings in m y land will obtain the
clothing they need as soon as they think o f it, just as a m an will be
spontaneously clad in a monastic robe w hen the B uddha says, “Wei-
 T he Land of U tm ost B liss 345

come, m o n k !” If this w ould not be the ease, I shall not attain suprem e
enlightenm ent.
(39) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if any sentient being in m y land
w o uld n o t at birth obtain the ncccssitics o f life and b eco m e secure, pure,
and blissful in m ind, like a m o n k w ho has ended all defilements.
(40) W hen I bccom c a Buddha, if sentient beings in m y land wish to sec other
superbly adorned, pure Buddha-lands, these lands will im m ediately ap­
pear to them am ong the precious trees, ju st as o n e’s facc appears in a
d e a r m irror. If this w ould not be the case, I shall not attain supreme
enlightenm ent.
(41) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if any sentient being in any
other Buddha-land, after hearing m y nam e and before attaining bodhi,
w ould be [bornl w ith incom plete organs or organs rcstrictcd in function.
(42) W hen I bccom c a Buddha, any Bodhisattva in any other Buddha-land,
after hearing m y name, will be able to k n o w distinctly the names o f
superb samadhis. W hile in remaining in samadhi, they will be able to
m ake offerings to countlcss, num berless Buddhas— inconccivablc and un-
equalcd in n u m b er— in a m om ent, and will be able to realize great sam a­
dhis5 instantly. If this w ould not be the ease, I shall not attain suprem e
enlightenm ent.
(43) I shall not attain supreme enlightenm ent if, w h en I bccom c a Buddha,
any Bodhisattva in any o th er Buddha-land w h o has heard m y nam e
w ould not be b o m in a noble family after death.
(44) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if, w h en I becom e a Buddha,
any Bodhisattva in any other Buddha-land w ould not im m ediately cul­
tivate the Bodhisattva practiccs, bccom c purified and joyful, abide in
equality, and possess all good roots after he hears m y name.
(45) W hen I becom c a Buddha, Bodhisattvas in other Buddha-lands will
achieve the Samadhi o f Equality,after hearing m y nam e and will, w ith ­
out regression, abide in this samadhi and m ake constant offerings to an
innum erable, unequaled num ber o f B uddhas until those Bodhisattvas
attain bodhi. If this w ould not be the ease, I shall not attain suprem e
enlightenm ent.
(46) I shall not attain supreme enlightenm ent if Bodhisattvas in m y
land w ould not hear at will the D harm a they wished to hear.
(47) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if, w h en I becom e a Buddha,
any Bodhisattva in any other Buddha-land w ould regress from the path
to suprem e enlightenm ent after he hears m y name.
(48) I shall not attain suprem e enlightenm ent if, w h en I becom e a Buddha, any
Bodhisattva in any other B uddha-land w ould not acquirc the first, the
sccond, or the third realization6 as soon as he heard m y name, or w ould
not instantly attain nonregression w ith regard to B u d d h a-D h arm as.’”
346 O n P ure L and

T hen the B uddha told Ananda, "H aving m ade these v ow s in the prcscnce o f
Tathagata Freest in the W orld, M o n k D harm akara, by the aw esom e pow er o f the
Buddha, spoke in verse:

‘‘‘I n o w m ake great oaths

In the presence o f the Tathagata:
If I have not fulfilled these lofty vow s
T h e day w hen I w ould realize suprem e bodhi,
I shall n o t becom e an uncqualed H o n o red O ne
Possessing the ten powers.
If I cannot always give abundantly
T o relieve the p oor and suffering,
A nd to benefit w orldlings w ith peace and joy,
I shall n o t becom e
A w orld-delivering D harm a King.
If, w h en I w ould realize enlightenm ent
O n the bodhi-site,
M y nam e is not k n o w n throughout the ten directions
In countlcss, boundless Buddha-lands,
I shall not becom e a W orld-H onored O ne
W ith the ten powers.
If I lack w isdom , mindfulness, and pure conduct
W hen m oving tow ard suprem e bodhi
A nd renouncing the household life
T o be free from desire,
I shall not becom e the Tamer,
T he Teacher o f G ods and H um ans.
I vow to acquire the imm easurable light
O f a Tathagata, illuminating
All Buddha-lands in the ten directions;
1 v o w to eradicate
All desire, hatred, and ignorance,
A nd to eliminate the miserable realms o f the world.
I v o w to open the clear w isdom -eye,
[Gaining] the light to dispel darkness
In all realms o f existcncc.
I v o w to eliminate
All adversities completely,
A nd to becom e the Great, A w esom e O ne
A m ong gods and hum ans.
 T he L a n d of U tm ost B liss 347

W hen I have cultivated the original practices.

T o the stage o f purity,
I shall acquire the limitless, superb, aw esom e light
Which can outshine the brilliancc
O f suns, m oons, gods, pearls,
O r any other source o f light.
After the Suprem e M an has cultivated those practiccs,
H e will be a hidden treasure to the poor.
Unequaled, perfect in w holesom e Dharm as,
H e will m ake the lion’s roar
A m o n g the crowd.
In the past, for m any kalpas,
I m ade offerings to those w ith spontaneous w isdom ,
A nd persevered in practicing austerities
T o seek the supreme store o f w isdom ,
Fulfil m y original vows,
A nd becom e an H o n o re d O n e am ong gods and humans.
A Tathagata is unhindered in kno w led g e and views;
H e can understand everything in the w o rld .8
M ay I becom c an U nequalcd One,
A Suprem e K now cr, a T ru e Tcacher!
If I can truly fulfill these great vows,
A n d realize great enlightenment,
M ay the billion-world universe quake
A nd the gods show er flowers from the sky!1

‘‘T hereupon, the great earth began to quake, celestial flowers and the sounds
o f d ru m s and m usic filled the sky, and a drizzle o f fine po w d ered sandalwood
began to fall. A voice proclaim ed, ‘Y ou will bccom e a B uddha in the future!5. . .”9
T hen Ananda asked the Buddha, "W orld-H onored O ne, w hen docs Bodhi­
sattva D hprm akara attain enlightenment? Has he done so in the past, will he do so
in the future, or does he do so n o w in another w o rld ?”
T h e B uddha said to Ananda, “ In the west, ten trillion Buddha-lands away
from here, there is a w orld callcd U tm o st Bliss. M o n k D harm akara has becom e a
B uddha there nam ed A m itay u s.10 Right n ow , surrounded respectfully by countless
Bodhisattvas and Sravakas, he is preaching the D harm a.
“Ananda, the light o f that B uddha is illuminating all Buddha-lands, incal­
culable and inconceivable in num ber. N o w I will speak about this briefly. His light
illuminates Buddha-lands in the east as num erous as the sands o f the Ganges, and
equally num erous Buddha-lands in the south, the west, the north, in each o f the
four interm ediate directions, the zenith, and the nadir, except for places illumi-
348 O n P ure Lan d

natcd by other B u d d h as w ith their o w n lights, through th e po w er o f their original

vows. T he lights o f A m itayus B uddha m ay reach as far as several feet, one league,
and so on, up to hundreds o f thousands o f [millions of] billions o f m yriads o f
leagues; som e m ay even shine over all Buddha-lands. Ananda, for this reason,
A mitayus Buddha has other names, such as Infinite Light, Boundless Light, D e­
tached Light, U nhindered Light, King o f Illumination, Magnificent Light, Loving
Light, Joyful Light, Pleasant Light, Inconceivable Light, U nequalcd Light, Im ­
m easurable Light, Light O utshining the Sun, Light O utshining the M o o n, and
Light O utshining Suns and M oons. His light, pure and im mense, m akes all sen­
tient beings [in his land] feel joyful in body and mind. It also gives joy to gods,
dragons, yaksas, asuras, and other beings in all o th er Buddha-lands. Ananda, if
from this m o m e n t I began to dcscribc the light o f that Buddha, I w ould n o t be able
to finish describing it even in an entire kalpa.
"Furtherm ore, Ananda, the n u m b er o f Tathagata A m itayus’s assembly o f
Sravakas cannot be k n o w n by counting. Suppose there w ere hun d red s o f th o u ­
sands o f [millions of] billions o f myriads o f monks, all o f w h o m enjoyed the same
m astery o f miraculous pow ers as M aham audgalyayana, and w h o could in the
m orning traverse a billion-w orld universe and return to their o w n abodes in an
instant. Furtherm ore, suppose all these m onks gathered together and spent hun­
dreds o f thousands o f [millions of] billions o f myriads o f years, exorcising their
m iraculous pow ers to the utm ost until they entered nirvaiia, in calculating the
num ber o f Sravakas in the first assembly held by A m itayus Buddha. T hey w ould
still be unable to k n o w one hund red th , one thousandth, one hu n d red thousandth,
and so on, d o w n to one infinitesimal part o f its num ber. . . . T he same is true o f
the n u m b er o f Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas in his land, w hich cannot be k n o w n by
counting.
“Ananda, the life span o f that B uddha is im measurable and limitless; it is
impossible for anyone to k n o w h o w m an y kalpas he will live. T h e same is tru e o f
the Sravakas, Bodhisattvas, gods, and hum ans [in his land].”
A nanda asked the Buddha, "W orld-H onored O ne, h o w long has it been
since that Buddha, w h o can enjoy such an im measurable life, appeared in the
w orld?”
T he B uddha told Ananda, “ It has been ten kalpas since that B uddha was
born.
"Furtherm ore, Ananda, the Land o f U tm o st Bliss abounds in countless m e r­
its and adornm ents. It is a rich land. G ods and hum ans thrive there; they are
congenial, peaceful, and always feel secure. There are no planes o f hell-dwellers or
animals, n o r the domain o f Yama. T he land is pervaded by the fragrance o f all
kinds o f incense and spread w ith various w onderful flowers. Banners bcdcckcd
w ith the seven treasures stand in row s everyw here. O v er the jewelled banners are
set canopies, from w hich precious bells o f hundreds o f thousands o f w onderful
colors are suspended.
“Ananda, there are m any precious trees in that Tathagata's land: gold trees,
 T he Land of U tmost B liss 349

silver trees, lapis lazuli trees, crystal trees, red pearl trees, agate trees, and jade
trees. Some o f them are made purely o f one treasure, not mixed w ith other
treasures. Some are adorned w ith tw o, three, and so on, up to seven tre a s u re s.. . .
“Also, all over that Buddha-land, there are num berless trees adorned w ith
pearls o r other treasures. T he brilliance o f these precious trees is incomparable in
the w orld. T h ey are covered w ith nets m ade o f the seven treasures, as soft as
cotton.
“M oreover, Ananda, in A mitayus Buddha's land, there is a bodhi-tree six­
teen h undred million leagues high, w ith branches and leaves spreading out over an
area eight h u n d red million leagues [in radius]. Its roots above the g ro u n d are five
thousand leagues high. . . . T he bodhi-trcc is adorned all around w ith gold chains
from which hang jeweled tassels made o f various gem s,11 red, white, and green
pearls, and so forth. T h e jeweled colum ns [of the bodhi-tree] are decorated with
chains made o f ‘lion-cloud-gathcring’ gems. T he chains arc covcred w ith a net, to
w hich are attached bells made o f pure gold, pearls, and various other gems. O n the
net, crystal sw astikas,12 half-m oon jewels, and so forth reflect one another. W hen a
breeze stirs, m an y kinds o f sounds are given forth, w hich cause the sentient beings
in that billion-w orld universe to attain [various degrees of] the Realization o f
N onarising w ith regard to the profound D harm a, according to their respective
inclinations. Ananda, after hearing the sounds, some sentient beings in that billion-
w orld universe will not further regress from the path to suprem e enlightenment,
and innumerable others will achicvc the Realization o f the N onarising o f Dharm as.
“Furtherm ore, Ananda, if a sentient being sees the bodhi-tree, hears its
sounds, smells its fragrance, tastes the flavor o f its fruit, touches its brilliance and
shade, or thinks o f its merits, he will have no ailments o f his five sense-organs,
will not be distracted in mind, and will not regress from his progress tow ard
suprem e enlightenm ent until he enters nirvana. M oreover, because he sees the
bodhi-tree, he will acquire three kinds o f realization. W hat are the three? First, the
realization derived fro m sound; second, the realization o f pliancy;13 third, the Real­
ization o f the Nonarising o f Dharmas. All this is possible because A m itayus B u d ­
dha has vested [in the bodhi-tree] the divine po w er o f his original v o w s . . . : ，

ii

T h e B u d d h a to ld Ananda, “In th e Land o f U tm o st Bliss, there are no seas, but

there are rivers. T h e narrow est river is ten leagues wide and th e shallowest w ater
tw elve leagues deep. Som e rivers arc tw enty, thirty, and so on, even a hundred
leagues in depth or w idth. T he deepest and the widest ones m easure up to one
thousand leagues. T he w ater is clear and cool and has the eight m eritorious quali­
ties. T h e deep currents flow rapidly, giving forth a w onderful sound, w hich is like
the sound o f h u ndreds o f thousands o f musical instrum ents played by gods; it is
350 O n P ure L and

heard all over the Land o f U tm o st Bliss. Beautiful flowers float dow nstream on
the water. A gentle breeze wafts fragrancc o f all kinds. O n the tw o banks o f the
rivers, there arc m any sandalwood trees w ith long branches and dense foliage
interlaced into canopies over the rivers. T hey produce beautiful, fragrant flowers
and bear lovely, shiny fruit. People com e there to roam about and enjoy th em ­
selves as they like. Som e w ade th rough the water, washing their feet in the streams
and m aking m erry. T he celestial w ater in the streams is agreeable to all and alters
its depth and tem perature at any time to suit the people in it.
“Ananda, the bottom o f the great rivers is covcred with gold sand. The
rivers give forth a celestial fragrance spread by the wind, w ith w hich nothing
w orldly can comparc. T he sweet-smelling water flows along, strewed w ith celes­
tial flowers o f the coral tree, blue lotus flowers, red lotus flowers, w hite lotus
flowers, and giant w hite lotus flowers. Furtherm ore, Ananda, w hen people in that
Buddha-land go together on an excursion to the riverside, those w h o do not wish
to hear the sound o f the rapids will not hear it at all, even if they have acquired the
deva-ear. T hose w h o wish to hear it will immediately hear hundreds o f thousands
o f pleasant sounds, such as the sounds o f the Buddha, the D harm a and the Sariigha;
the sounds o f cessation; the sounds o f no essence, the sounds o f the paramitas; the
sounds o f the ten pow ers and the four fearlessnesses; the sounds o f miraculous
powers; the sounds o f nonaction; the sounds o f nonarising and nonccssation; the
sounds o f quicsccnce, universal14 quicscence, and utter quicscence; the sounds o f
great kindness and great compassion; the sounds o f the Realization o f the N o naris­
ing o f D harm as; and the sounds o f anointm ent and enthronem ent. After hearing
these various sounds, the listeners will be overw helm ed by feelings o f great joy and
delight, and becom e responsive to [the teachings on] contemplation, renunciation,
destruction [of defilements], quiescencc, universal quiescence, utter quiesccnce, the
taste o f the doctrine, the Buddha, the D harm a, the Saiiigha, the ten powers, the
four fearlessnesses, the miraculous powers, cessation, enlightenment, Sravakahood,
and nirvana.
“Furtherm ore, Ananda, in th e L and o f U tm o st Bliss, th e nam es o f the
miserable planes o f existence are not heard. There arc no such term s as hindrance,
or enshrouding defilements; nor such term s as hell, Yama, or animal. T here arc no
such term s as the eight adversities, nor term s for painful or neutral feelings. There
is not even the concept o f suffering, let alone real suffering. This is w h y that
Buddha-land is callcd U tm o st Bliss. Ananda, n o w I can speak only briefly o f this
blissful land. If I spoke o f it in detail, I w ould not be able to finish even if I spent
an entire kalpa.
“M oreover, Ananda, all the sentient beings o f the Land o f U tm o st Bliss,
w hether they have been, arc being, or will be b o rn there, have exquisite bodily
form s and handsom e features. T hey have free com m and o f m iraculous pow ers and
a full com plem ent o f merits. T hey enjoy all kinds o f palaccs, gardens, groves,
garm ents, food and drink, incense, flowers, and necklaces. W hatever they w ant
appears to them spontaneously, as it is w ith the gods o f the Paranirmita-Vasavartin
Heaven.
 T he L a n d of U t m o s t B liss 351

“Furtherm ore, Ananda, in that B uddha-land there is a kind o f subtle food

w hich sentient beings eat w ithout using their m ouths; they feel they are eating the
food as soon as they think about it, as it is w ith the gods in the Sixth Heaven. T he
food nourishes the bod y but produces no excrement.
“M oreover, there are unlimited quantities o f the m ost agreeable incense,
perfum ed ointm ent, and pow dered incensc, the fragrance o f which permeates all
that Buddha-land. Also found everyw here are banners and scattered flowers. Those
w h o wish to smell the fragrance will smell it at will, while those w ho do not wish
to will smell n o t h i n g . . . .
“If sentient beings w ant palaccs, storied buildings, or pavilions— w hether
high or low, long or short, wide or narrow, square or round— or if they w ant beds
or couches w ith w onderful coverings, decoratcd w ith various gems, these things
will appear before them spontaneously according to their respective wishes, so that
everyone will think he is living in a palace o f his own.
“Furtherm ore, Ananda, the sentient beings in the Land o f U tm o st Bliss arc
not different from one another in appcarance; however, to conform to the conven­
tions o f other lands, they assume the names o f gods or humans. . . . Ananda, you
should k n o w that the sentient beings in that land are all like the king o f the
Paranirmita-Vasavartin Heaven.
“Ananda, every morning, a gentle breeze blows all over the blissful land,
w hich causes no reverse or disturbing w inds and carries the fragrancc o f various
flowers to every corner o f that Buddha-land. All sentient beings, w hen touched by
the breeze, feel as pcaccful and comfortable as a m onk w h o has achieved the Dhyana
o f C om plete Cessation o f Feeling and Conccption. b W hen the trees m ade o f the
seven treasures arc blow n by the breeze, their blossoms fall and form piles as tall as
seven persons, and the entire B uddha-land is illuminated by their m ulticolored
lights. T h e flowers are evenly m ixed and spread out according to their different
colors, as if someone had spread them over the ground and leveled them with his
hands. T hey are exquisite flowers, large, and as soft as cotton. W hen the sentient
beings tread on the piles, their feet sink as m uch as four fingers deep, but w hen
they lift their feet, the ground returns to its original condition. W hen the m orning
is over, the flowers spontaneously sink into the ground. As the old flowers disap­
pear, the great earth bccomcs refreshingly clean, and then a rain o f new flowers
entirely covcrs the ground again. T he same thing happens [six times a day]: in the
early, middle, and last part o f the day, and in the early, middle, and last part o f the
night.16
“A nanda ， all the rarest treasures are found in the Land o f U tm o st Bliss.
Ananda, in that Buddha-land, there arc lotus flowers made o f the seven treasures,
and each o f the lotus flowers has countless hundreds o f thousands o f [millions of]
billions o f petals in num ero u s hundreds o f thousands o f rare colors. Each lotus
is adorned w ith hundreds o f thousands o f w onderful wish-fulfilling pearls and
covercd with precious nets, all o f them mutually reflecting. Ananda, a lotus flower
there has a diam eter o f half a league, or one, tw o, three, four, even one hundred or
one thousand leagues, and each emits three billion six h u n d red million m yriads o f
352 O n P ure L an d

lights.17 In cach light appear three billion six hundred million m yriads o f Buddhas.
T hese B uddhas are golden in com plexion and superbly adorned w ith the thirty-
tw o auspicious signs and the eighty m inor ones. T hey emit hundreds o f thousands
o f lights to illuminate every corner o f the w orld. T hey go to the east to preach the
D harm a to the people and establish countless sentient beings in the Buddha-
Dharm a. For the same purpose, they also go to the south, the west, the north, the
four interm ediate directions, the zenith, and the nadir.
"Furtherm ore, Ananda, in the Land o f U tm o st Bliss, there is no darkness or
gloom , n o r the light o f fire. There is no nam e for spring, pond, or lake. T here is
no nam e for rcsidcnce, home, grove, or garden. There is no kind o f sym bol o f
expression to denote children. There is no sun or m oon, day or night. T h ere is no
designation or nam e anyw here exccpt those w hich are blessed by the Tathagata.
‘‘Ananda, all the sentient beings in that Buddha-land arc among those who
will eventually attain suprem e enlightenm ent and rcach nirvana. W hy? Bccausc
those w h o support heterodox view s and those w h o are undccided cannot k n o w
h o w to establish the cause for being born there.18
"A nanda, in the cast, there arc as m any Buddha-lands as the sands o f the
Ganges; the Buddhas in those lands all praise the countless merits o f A m itayus
Buddha, r h e same is the case w ith the B uddhas in the south, the west, the north,
the four interm ediate directions, the zenith, and the nadir. W hy? E xcept those w h o
com m it the five grave oftcnccs and those w h o slander the true D h arm a and defame
saints, any sentient being in any other B uddha-land can do the follow ing:19 after
hearing the nam e o f Tathagata Amitayus, if they have even one thought o f pure
faith, jo y , and aspiration and dedicate all their good roots to birth in that Buddha-
land, they will be born there as they wish, and will achieve nonregression from the
path to suprem e enlightenm ent.20
"Ananda, if a sentient being in another Buddha-land engenders bodhicitta,
single-mindedly thinks o f A m itayus Buddha, constantly plants roots o f virtue and
dedicates them to birth in that Buddha-land, then, w hen he is about to die, A m i­
tayus Buddha, surrounded by a host o f m onks, will appear before him. T he dying
person will im m ediately follow the Tathagata to be born in that land, attain
nonregression, and be destined to realize supreme enlightenment. Therefore, A nan­
da, if good m en and good w o m en wish to be born in the Land o f U tm o st Bliss
and see A m itayus Buddha, they should engender supreme bodhicitta, concentratc
their thoughts on the Land o f U tm o st Bliss, accumulate good roots, and dedicate
them as taught. Thereby, they will see that Buddha, be born in his land, and attain
nonrcgression from the path to suprem e enlightenm ent.
"Ananda, suppose a sentient being in another Buddha-land engenders bo­
dhicitta and dedicates his merits to birth in Amitayus B u d d h a’s land, but does not
conccntratc his m ind on Amitayus B uddha or constantly plant num erous good
W hen he is about to die, A m itayus B uddha will send a magically produced
13uddha to him, surrounded by a host o f m onks. T he magically produced Buddha,
u ho ib exactly the same as the real B uddha in brilliance and auspicious signs, will
 T he L a n d of U t m o s t B liss 353

appear before the dying person to rcccive and guide him, and that person will
im m ediately follow the B uddha to be b o rn in that land and attain nonregression
from the path to suprem e enlightenment.
tlAnanda, if a sentient being who abides in the Mahayana feels pure-minded
devotion for Tathagata A m itayus for only ten consecutive thoughts, w ishing to be
born in his land; or if he believes and understands this profound teaching as
soon as he hears it expounded, w ith no d o u b t in his m ind, and thereby thinks
o f A m itayus B uddha for even one pure thought, then, when he is about to die,
he will see Amitayus B uddha as if in a dream. The dying person will w ithout
fail be b o m in that Buddha-land to achicvc nonregression from the path to su­
prem e enlightenment.
"Ananda, it is because o f these benefits that all the Buddhas, Tathagatas, in
countlcss w orlds— inconceivable, unequalcd, and limitless in n u m b e r ~ e x to l the
m erits o f A m itayus B u d d h a .. . .
“M oreover, Ananda, all the Sravakas in that Buddha-land have haloes several
feet in radius; the Bodhisattvas5 haloes rcach as far as hundreds o f thousands o f feet
in radius. There are tw o Bodhisattvas whose lights constantly illuminate the whole
billion-world universe.”
A nanda asked the Buddha, “W orld -H o n o red O ne, who arc the tw o Bodhi-
sattvas?”
The Buddha told Ananda, “N ow , listen carcfully. One o f the tw o Bodhi­
sattvas is callcd Avalokitesvara; the other, Mahasthamaprapta. Ananda, these two
B odhisattvas were born in that Buddha-land after their lifetimes camc to an end in
the Saha W orld.
“Ananda, all the Bodhisattvas born in the Land o f U tm o st Bliss have the
thirty-tw o auspicious signs. T h ey are supple physically, keen in senses, and en­
dowed with w isdom and ingenuity. They k n o w all diversified phenom ena, and
have a free co m m an d o f dhyana and miraculous powers. N o n e o f them has little
v irtue or an inadequate capacity. A n incalculable n u m b er o f those Bodhisattvas
have achieved the fi rst or the second realization;21 som e have attained the Realization
o f the N onarising o f D harm as.
“Ananda, the Bodhisattvas in that Buddha-land will not fall to the miserable
planes o f existence on their w ay to attainm ent o f suprem e enlightenm ent. T hey
will rem em ber all their previous lives w herever they are born, except w hen they
appear in the w orld o f five depravities.
“Ananda, every m orning, the Bodhisattvas in that Buddha-land make offer­
ings to countlcss hundreds o f thousands o f Buddhas in other Buddha-lands. Due to
the divine pow er o f A m itayus Buddha, garlands, perfum ed ointment, powdered
incense, banners, canopies, and musical instruments o f all kinds appear in their
hands as they wish, to be offered to the Buddhas. Such offerings arc im mense,
countless, and inconceivablc. W hen the Bodhisattvas wish it, various rare blos­
soms resplendent w ith incalculable hundreds o f thousands o f lights and colors will
appear in their hands to be scattered on the Buddhas as an offering. Ananda, the
354 O n P ure L and

flowers they scatter will imm ediately change into flow er canopies in the sky, the
smallest o f w hich measures ten leagues [in diameter]. T he flowers first scattered
will not fall from the air unless new flowers are scattered. Ananda, some o f these
canopics measure tw en ty leagues, thirty, forty, and so on, up to one thousand
leagues [in diameter]. Som e are large enough to cover the four continents; some
arc large enough to cover a thousand-w orld, a m illion-w orld, or even a billion-
w orld universe. Thus, the Bodhisattvas engender m inds full o f w o nd er and hearts
full o f great joy.
“Every m orning, these Bodhisattvas attend on, m ak e offerings to, sh o w
respect for, and praise incalculable hundreds o f thousands [of millions] o f billions
o f m yriads o f Buddhas. After they have thus planted good roots, they return to
their land in the same morning. All this is made possible because Amitayus B u d ­
dha vests in them the p o w e r o f his original vows, w hich he th o rou g h ly cultivated,
maintained, and fulfilled, and because o f his good roots in m aking uninterrupted
and perfect offerings to Tathagatas in the past.
“Furtherm ore, Ananda, w hatever the Bodhisattvas in the Land o f U tm o st
Bliss say is in consonance w ith all-know ing w isdom . T h ey do not take possession
o f anything they enjoy. T hey travel to all Buddha-lands w ithout attachm ent or
aversion, expectation or nonexpectation; they have no th o u g h t o f a self, defile­
ment, the ‘I， ’ disputation, discord, hatred, or anger. Why? Bccausc these B o d hi­
sattvas have the great m ind o f kindness, compassion, and beneficence tow ard all
sentient beings. T h ey have the m ind w hich is supple, unobstructed, free o f filth
and resentm ent, impartial, regulated, quiet, patient, subdued by patience, equable,
clear, w ith o u t distraction, free o f coverings, pure, extremely pure, illuminating,
unsoiled, awe-inspiring, virtuous, vast, incomparable, profound, fond o f the D h ar­
ma, exultant over the D harm a, well-intentioned, free from all attachm ents, and
[able to] rid sentient beings o f all defilements and to eliminate the miserable planes
o f existence.
“T h ey have cultivated the practices o f w isdom , and achieved imm easurable
merits. T h ey are able not only to discourse on meditation and the other factors o f
enlightenm ent, but also to have a free co m m an d o f them. T hey diligently cultivate
suprem e enlightenm ent and explain it to others. T hey can discern things well w ith
their physical eyes, see various Buddha-lands w ith their deva-eyes, free themselves
from attachm ent w ith their clear Dharm a-eyes, reach the other shore w ith their
penetrating wisdom-eyes, and realize the D harm a-nature w ith their B uddha-eyes.22
T hey engender unimpeded w isdom w ith w hich they can teach the Dharm a exten­
sively to others. • •
The W orld -H o n o red O ne then told Ananda, “ Such is A m itayus B uddha's
Land o f U tm o s t Bliss. Y ou should rise from y our scat, join y o u r palms respect­
fully, and prostrate yourself full-length on the ground to pay hom age to that
Buddha. T hat B uddha’s nam e is k n o w n throughout the ten directions; in each
direction, there are Buddhas as num erous as the sands o f the Ganges w h o praise
him incessantly and w ithout reservation.”
 T he La n d of U tm ost B liss 355

T h ereu p o n , Ananda rose from his scat, bared his right shoulder, joined his
palms tow ard the west, prostrated him self full-length on the ground, and said to
the Buddha, “ W o rld-H onored One, n o w I wish to see A m itayus B uddha in the
Land o f U tm o st Bliss and to m ake offerings to and serve countless hundreds o f
thousands o f [millions o f| billions o f m yriads o f Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, in
order to plant good roo ts.”
Right then, A m itayus B uddha em itted from his palm a great light w hich
illuminated hundreds o f thousands o f millions o f myriads o f Buddha-lands. In
those lands, all the m ountains, small and large, such as Black M ountain, Treasure
M ountain, M o u n t Sum eru, M o u n t M eru, M o u n t M aham eru, M o u n t Mucilinda,
M o u n t M ahamucilinda, M o u n t Iron Circle, and M o u n t Great Iron Circle; . . . and
all the gods, hum ans, and so forth w ere revealed by the light o f that Buddha. Just
as a person w ith the pure deva-eye can see everything clearly w ithin a distance of
several feet, and ju st as a person can see everything clearly w hen the sun comcs
out, so the m onks, nuns, laymen, and layw om cn in other Buddha-lands all saw
Tathagata A m itayus. He, like M o u n t Sumeru, the king o f mountains, illuminated
his Buddha-land and revealed it as clearly as if it had been only a few feet away.
Bccausc the w onderful light o f Tathagata A m itayus was extremely pure and clear,
they saw his high throne, and his assemblies o f Sravakas, Bodhisattvas, and so
forth. It is ju st like w h en a flood subm erges all trees, mountains, and rivers, there
is nothing to be seen on the great earth except the great flood. Likewise, in that
Buddha-land, w here there were no heterodox believers or beings other than great
Sravakas, w ith haloes several feet in radius; and Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas, with
haloes hundreds o f thousands o f leagues in radius, the light o f Tathagata A m ita­
yus, the W orthy O ne, the Perfectly Enlightened One, outshone the lights o f all
the Sravakas and Bodhisattvas and enabled all the sentient beings to see him.
At the same time, the Bodhisattvas, Sravakas, hum ans, and gods in the Land
o f U tm o st Bliss all saw Tathagata Sakyamuni o f the Saha W orld prcaching the
D harm a, surrounded by an assembly o f m onks.
T h en the B uddha asked Bodhisattva M aitreya, “Did you see the magnificent
Buddha-land, w hich is pcrfcctly pure and full o f aw esom e merits? . . . Did you see
myriads o f flowers scattered as adornm ents in the sky over the earth and in the
heavens up to the Akanistha Heaven? Did you see the birds in the sky, which are
not real creatures but magical creations, uttering various sounds which, like the
voicc o f the Buddha, are heard all over that w orld?”
M aitreya answ ered the Buddha, “Yes, I did .”
T h e B uddha further asked Bodhisattva Maitreya, “D id you see the sentient
beings w ho, after entering palaces a hundred to a thousand leagues across, traveled
in space, unattached and unhindered, to all Buddha-lands to make offerings to the
Buddhas? Did you see those sentient beings w h o think o f the Buddha continuously
day and night?”
M aitreya answered, “Yes, I d id .”
T h e B uddha asked further, “D id you see any difference betw een the things
356 O n P ure L and

used by people in the Land o f U tm o st Bliss and those used by gods in the
Paranirm ita-Vasavartin H eaven?’’
M aitreya answered, “I did not see any difference b etw een th e m .”
T he B uddha asked Maitreya, “ Did you see any being in the Land o f U tm o st
Bliss conceived in a w o m b ? ”23
Maitrcya answered, “ W orld-H onored O ne, gods in the H eaven o f the T hirty-
T hree and the Yama H eaven and so forth play and m ake m erry in palaces one
hundred to five hundred leagues wide. I saw that w hen people in the Land o f
U tm o st Bliss are conceived in a w om b, they feel ju st like those gods living in
palaces. I also saw sentient beings w h o w ere seated cross-legged in lotus flowers
and then born ethereally all o f a sudden.”
T he Bodhisattva M aitrcya asked the Buddha, “W o rld-H onored O ne, w h y are
some beings in that Buddha-land born from the w o m b and others born cthere-
ally?’’24
The B uddha told Maitreya, “If a sentient being is full of doubt and regret
w hen he accumulates good roots and seeks B uddha-w isdom , universal w isdom ,
inconceivable w isdom , uncqualcd w isd o m , great w isdom , and the w isd o m o f
aw esom e merits, then, bccausc he has no faith in his o w n g o o d roots, he has to
stay in th e palacc [-like w o m b ] for five hundred years w ithout seeing a Buddha, a
Bodhisattva, or a Sravaka, or hearing the D h arm a expounded. If a sentient being is
com pletely free o f d o u b t and regret w hen he accumulates g oo d roots and seeks
B uddha-w isdom , then, because he believes in his o w n good roots, he will be
seated cross-legged in a lotus flower and be born ethereally all o f a sudden, em erg­
ing from it in an instant. Just as people have com c here from other countries, so
such a Bodhisattva, due to his vow , has been born in the Land o f U tm o st Bliss to
see, serve, and m ake offerings to A m itayus B uddha and the assembly o f Bodhi­
sattvas and Sravakas.
“Ajita, you see, those superior, intelligent beings, due to their im m ense
w isdom , arc born ethereally from the louts flow ers in w hich they sit cross-legged.
As for the inferior ones, they [arc born from the w o m b , and,] for five hundred
years, see no Buddhas, Sravakas, or Bodhisattvas, hear no D harm a, and k n o w no
rules for a Bodhisattva’s conduct. Because they cannot cultivate merits [in the
w om u], they find no chance to serve A m itayus Buddha. All this is a result o f their
doubt and regret in the past.
“As an illustration, consider a ksatriya k ing’s son w h o breaks the law and
consequently is im prisoned in an inner palace. H e lives am ong gardens, storied
buildings, and halls that are exquisitely furnished w ith rare treasures, precious
curtains, and gold couches w ith thick, soft mattresses. T he floor is covered w ith
rare flowers, the m ost precious inccnsc is burned, and all necessary articles are
abundantly provided. H ow ever, his feet are fettered w ith a chain o f Jam bu-river
gold.”
T he B uddha asked Maitreya, “W hat d o you think? D oes that prince enjoy all
this?”
 T he L a n d of U t m o s t B liss 357

M aitreya answ ered, “N o, W orld-H onored One. W hen he is imprisoned, he

will try to be set free, asking relatives, friends, respcctablc people, ministers,
elders, and courtiers for help. H ow ever, although the prince is anxious to be
released, his w ish will not be fulfilled until the king willingly agrees to it.”
The B uddha said to Maitreya, “So it is, so it is. Similarly, if one is full o f
doubt and regret w hen he plants g o o d roots and seeks th e B uddha-w isdom , the
great w isdom , then, th ough he will be bo rn in that land due to his engendering o f
faith in the Buddha at hearing his nam e, he will remain in the [w o m b o f a] lotus
flower after birth and be unable to com e out, all because he has no faith in his o w n
good roots.
“Such a sentient being, living in the flower w o m b , will think o f it as a palace
w ith gardens. W hy? Because the lotus w o m b is clcan and free o f filth, and nothing
in it is unpleasant. Nevertheless, the sentient being will for five hundred years see
no Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, or Sravakas, and hear no Dharma; he cannot m ake
offerings to or serve the Buddhas; he cannot inquire about the Bodhisattva canon;
he is far apart from all superb roots o f virtue. H e does not enjoy living in the
flower w om b, for he cannot com e out o f it to practice wholesome dharm as until
all his faults com m itted in the past arc exhausted. W hen he comes out, he will lose
all sense o f direction, not k n o w ing the zenith, the nadir, or the four cardinal
directions. N o t until all his doubts disappear during those five hundred years will
he be able to m ake offerings to countlcss hundreds o f thousands o f millions o f
m yriads o f B uddhas and plant incalculable, limitless roots o f virtue. Ajita, you
should k n o w that d oubt does great harm to Bodhisattvas."
T hen Bodhisattva M aitreya asked the Buddha, “W orld -H o n o red O ne, h o w
m any nonregressing Bodhisattvas in this Buddha-land will be b o rn in the Land o f
U tm o st Bliss?”
T h e B u ddha told Maitreya, “In this Buddha-land, seven billion tw o hundred
million Bodhisattvas, w h o have planted good roots in incalculable hundreds o f
thousands o f [millions of] billions o f m yriads o f Buddha-lands and have bccomc
nonregressing, will be b orn in that Buddha-land. T he Bodhisattvas w h o will be
b o rn in that B uddha-land because o f fewer roots o f virtue are c o u n tle ss .. . .
“ Ajita, if I enum erate the nam es o f the Bodhisattvas in other lands w h o have
been, are b^ing, and will be b o m in the Land o f Ultim ate Bliss to m ake offerings
to, pay hom age to, and w orship A mitayus Buddha, I will not be able to finish
doing so even if I spend an entire kalpa.
“ Ajita, you see h o w highly those Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas benefit. If one
can generate a single th o u g h t o f jo y after hearing that B u d d h a’s name, he will
obtain the m erits m entioned above, he will feel neither inferior nor superior, and
all the goo d roots he has achieved will be enhanced. Therefore, Ajita, I tell you and
gods, hum ans, and asuras: I n o w entrust you w ith this D harm a-door. Y ou should
take pleasure in practicing it. Y ou should accept, retain, read, and recite it, even
day and night. Y ou should aspire for this sutra, explain it to others, and have
people w rite it and preserve it. Y ou should regard this sutra as a teacher.
358 O n P ure L and

“ Ajita, if Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas wish to causc num erous sentient beings

to be rapidly and securely established in nonrcgrcssion from [pursuit of] suprem e
enlightenm ent, and wish to see the magnificent adornm ents o f that superb B ud-
dha-land and to em brace its perfect merits, then they should strive vigorously to
learn this D harm a-door. T h ey should not back away or becom e pretentious in
seeking the D harm a, even if they have to go th ro u g h a raging fire that fills a w hole
billion-w orld universe. T h ey should read, recite, accept, retain, and copy this
sutra, and m ake use o f every m o m e n t to explain it to others and persuade th em to
listen to it w ithout w o rry or annoyance. Even if they arc th ro w n into a fire for
doing so, they should entertain no doubt or regret. Why? Countless billions o f
Bodhisattvas seek, esteem, learn, and obey this subtle teaching. Therefore, all o f
you should seek this teaching, too. Ajita, those sentient beings will obtain great,
high benefits. In the future, even at the time o f the true D h a rm a ’s declinc, some
sentient beings will plant good roots. These are the sentient beings w h o have made
offerings to innum erable Buddhas and w ho, being blessed by those Tathagatas, are
able to acquire this great D h arm a-d o o r, w hich is praised and approved by all
Tathagatas. If one acccpts and upholds this D harm a-door, he will acquire the vast
all-know ing w isd o m and plant good roots as he pleases. G o o d m en and good
w o m en w h o have a superior understanding o f this teaching will be able to obtain
great jo y from hearing it; they will accept, uphold, read, and recite it, explain it to
others, and always delight in practicing it.
"Ajita, innum erable billions o f Bodhisattvas have so ught this teaching untir­
ingly. You good m en and good w o m en will benefit greatly if you are able to seek
this teaching in y our present or future lives. Ajita, the Tathagata has already done
w hat he should do. Y ou should be firm and free o f doubt in planting good roots;
you should constantly study and practicc anything that can rem o v e y our doubt,
lest you be im prisoned [in a palace-like w om b] m ade o f various treasures.
‘‘Ajita, there are one hundred million Bodhisattvas o f great, aw esom e virtue
w h o can p ro pound num erous other doctrincs o f the B uddha-D harm a, but have
regressed in [the pursuit of] suprem e enlightenm ent because they have not heard
this teaching.
“ Ajita, it is difficult to find a B uddha appearing in the world. It is also
difficult to have a body free from the eight adversities. Even a » eloqueht D h arm a-
teacher finds it difficult to explain the B uddhas，uncxcellcd D harm as, such as the
very profound D harm as o f the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, unimpededness,
and detachmcnt, and the Bodhisattva doctrines such as the paramitas, and so on.
Ajita, it is not easy to m eet a person w h o is adept in preaching the D harm a. It is
also rare to encounter one o f firm and deep faith. N o w I have ♦'aught this discourse
in accordancc w ith the truth, and you should all practice it as I have taught.
“Ajita, I entrust to you this teaching and the D harm a o f all Buddhas. Y ou
[all] should practicc it and n o t let it perish. This great, subtle D h arm a-d o o r is
praised by all Buddhas. D o n o t abandon it in dcfiancc o f the B u d d h a’s instructions;
otherwise, you will encounter hindrances— you will be engulfed in the long night
 T he L a n d of U tm ost B liss 359

to go th ro u g h all dangers and sufferings. Therefore, I n o w solemnly bid you to do

everything to cause this doctrine to last long. Y ou should practicc this teaching
diligently as I have ta u g h t.，
，. ..
W hen the B uddha had spoken this sutra, Bodhisattva Maitreya, Venerable
Ananda, and everyone in the assembly were jubilant over w hat the Buddha had
taught.

NOTES

1. A m ore literal translation o f these forty-eight vow s follows this tormula: “ |W henj I
bccom c a Buddha, if, in m y land, there arc still the planes o f hcll-dwcllcrs, hun g ry ghosts, or
animals, I will n ot ultimately take up suprem e e nlightenm ent.”
2. “ T h e p o w e r t o appear anyw here at will” m ay also be callcd “the p o w er o f pe rfo rm ­
ing i n i r a c l c s . I t can include such m iraculous pow ers as rem aining under w ater w ithout
drow n in g , touching fire w ithout being burned, or transform ing oneself into any kind o f
crcaturc or object. H ow ever, in som e contexts, “the p o w er to appear anyw here at w ill”
seems to be a m ore appropriate translation, as in this paragraph.
3. M o n k D harm akara's land w hen he becom cs A m itayus Buddha.
4. O r, “the doctrine concerning freedom from s a i i i s a r a .I n J'aisho 360, p .268, this
reads, . . w h o hear my nam e w o uld fail to cultivate' pure conduct after death and before
achieving B u d d h a h o o d .” A third version, Taisho 363, p .320, does not m ention “the doctrine
concerning freedom from sarhsara” and “after death.” It may m ake m ore sense and be less
m isleading to ignore these tw o phrases altogether.
5. T h e Chinese text reads “six sam adhis." Perhaps ‘six’ （六 ）is a m isprint for ‘great ，
(大 )
6. T he realization derived from sound, the realization o f pliancy, and the Realization
o f the N o n a n s in g o f D harm as.
7. O riginal practiccs: the practiccs th a t a B uddha cultivated w hen he was still tollow -
ing the Bodhisattva-path. T he fundam ental practices for achieving Buddhahood.
8. Literally, “H e can understand all conditioned (sainskrra) d h a rm a s.”
9. This paragraph form s the last part o f the above verse in the Chinese text.
10- A m itayus m eans ‘Infinite Life'. As related b e lo w , his life span is inimcasurahle.
His other nam e, m ore frequently used, is Am itabha, or ‘Infinite Light'.
11. T h e Chinese text reads 廑 遮 迦 寶 and 未 i差 蜜 . T he identities ot these tw o gems arc
u n k n o w n to us.
12. An ancicnt A ryan auspicious symbol, used by Hindus and Buddhists.
13. W ith this realization, there is engendered a pliant, flexible nim d ot w isd o m to
com ply w ith the D h a rm a and to accom m odatc sentient beings.
14. T h e Chinese reads 邊 ，m eaning ‘b o rd e r’ or ‘side， . Perhaps it is a m isprint o f 遍 ，
m eaning 'univcrsaT.
15. D hy a n a that leads o n e to nirvana.
16. Actually there are no such distinctions as day and night in that land; it is to
360 O n P ure L and

conform to the convention o f other lands that the day there is divided into six parts. See tw o
paragraphs below.
17. Literally, “three billion six hundred million m yriads o f hundreds o f thousands o f
l i g h t s : T h e next sentence reads similarly.
18. T hese th ree kinds o f people arc the three groups. See N u m erical Glossary.
19. This paragraph dcscribcs the general karm ic re w a rd for faith in A m itayus Buddha.
T h e next paragraph dcscribcs the highest re w ard, followed by paragraphs describing the
middle and low est rewards, respectively.
20. According to the Chinese Pure Land School, the Buddha's teachings fall into tw o
categories: those w hich tcach people to rcach salvation and liberation by faith, 'i.e., by the
B u d d h a ’s p o w er (the Pure Land school belongs to this category); and those w hich tcach
salvation and liberation by one's o w n strength. This passage is an exam ple o f the first
category. (W .H.)
21. See note 6 above.
22. T he original is very obscurc here. Freely translated, it could be as follows: " H a v ­
ing achieved Buddha-cycs, they can enlighten (others by] revealing (to th em the tru th j.” T he
translation given in the text is based on a nother version (Taisho 360 ，p. 274). M oreover, it is
a doubtful point w h e th e r or not a Bodhisattva can be e n d o w e d with the B uddha-eye, w hich
is generally understood as a unique quality o f the Buddhas.
23. A lotus flower w o m b . See below.
24. In B uddhist tradition there are four m odes o f birth: (1) birth from a w o m b , as
w ith m am m alia; (2) birth from an egg, as with birds; (3) birth from m oisture or w ater, as
w ith w o rm s and fishes, and (4) birth by transform ation (alternate translation: ethereal birth),
as with hcll-dwellers, dcvas, the first beings in new ly evolved w orlds, and superior beings
w h o are born in a pure Buddha-land such as the Land o f U tm o st Bliss.
 VII
On General Mahayana Doctrine
 19 勝鬉夫人會

The True Lion’s Roar of Queen Srlm ala

T h u s have I heard. O n c e the Buddha was dwelling in the garden o f A nathapin-

dada, in the Jcta Grove, near Sravasti. At that time, King Prascnajit and Q ueen
Mallika o f Kosala had ju st had an initial realization o f the Dharma. T hey said to
cach other, “O u r daughter, Srlmala, is kind, intelligent, learned, and wise. If she
could see the Tathagata, she w ould be quick to understand the profound D harm a
and w ould have no doubt about it w hatsoever. We should n o w send an eloquent
m essenger to her to arouse her sincerc faith.’， 1
Imm ediately upon this decision, the king and queen w rote Q ueen Srlmala a
letter extolling the true merits o f the Tathagata, and sent a messenger, Chandra, to
deliver it to her at Ayodhya. Q ueen Srlmala received the letter w ith reverence and
jo y . After she opened and read it, she felt h o w unusual its message was and spoke
to the messenger in verse:

“It is said that the Tathagata's voicc

Is difficult to encounter in this world.
If this saying is true,2
I shall rew ard you w ith apparel.
If the Buddha, the W orld-H onored One,
Has manifested him self to benefit this world,
His compassion will certainly extend to me,
T hat I m ay see his true appearance.”

A s soon as she had so spoken, the B uddha appeared in the air in an incon­
ceivable form, emitting a brilliant light. Q ueen Srlmala and her retinue gathered

Sutra 48, T aisho 310, pp. 672-678; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.
364 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

together. W ith palms joined, they bow ed respectfully to him, and the queen,
looking up in adoration, praised the great tcacher:

“T he w ondrous form o f the Tathagata

Is unequaled in this world;
It is incom parable and inconccivablc;
Therefore I pay hom age to him.
T he form o f the Tathagata k n o w s no bounds,
A nd boundless, t o o , is his wisdom .
All aspects [of his nature] abide eternally;3
Therefore I take refuge in him.
H e has skillfully subdued all mental faults,
As well as the four viccs o f the body;4
H e has rcachcd the inconccivable stage;
Therefore I pay hom age to him.
H e k n o w s everything th at can be know n,
For his w isd o m -b o d y meets no obstacles;
H e forgets nothing;
Therefore I pay hom age to him.
I b o w do w n to the O n e w ho is infinite;
I b o w d o w n to the O n e w ho is peerless;
I b o w d o w n to the O ne
W ho has free com m and o f all dharmas;
I b o w d o w n to the O ne
W ho is beyond thought.
M ay his compassion shelter me
And cause the seeds o f the D harm a
T o gro w [within me],
So that I may always be w ith the Tathagata
U ntil m y last existence [in sariisara].
I have practiced all m eritorious deeds
In this life and in all other lives.
M ay the Buddha always take me,
W ith all m y roots o f virtue,
Into his follow ing.”

When Q ueen Srlmala had spoken these verses, she and her entire retinue
prostrated themselves at the B u d d h a’s feet. T hen the W orld-H onored O n e spoke
to Srlmala in verse:
 T he T rue L io n 's R oar of Q ueen S r i m Al A 365

“In your form er lives I taught you

A nd revealed to you the path o f enlightenment.
N o w once again you meet me here;
We shall also meet in future lives.”

A fter speaking this verse, the B uddha prophesied to the assembly that Q ueen
Srlmala w ould attain suprem e enlightenment, saying, “Y ou n o w praise the superb
merits o f the Tathagata. Because o f this good root, you will be a sovereign am ong
gods and hu m an s for incalculable kalpas. All y our needs will be fulfi lied. W herever
you arc bom , you will be able to m eet m e and praise me facc to face, just as you
do now. Y ou will also m ake offerings to innumerable, countless other Buddhas,
W orld -H o n o red Ones. After. twenty^ thousand incalculable kalpas, you, too, will
bccom c a Buddha, nam ed U niversal Light Tathagata, the W o rth y O ne, the Pcr­
fcctly Enlightened One.
“In y o u r Buddha-land, there will be no miserable planes o f cxistcncc, no
suffering o f aging or sickness, and no evil deeds, not even their names. The
sentient beings there will appear in magnificent forms, and will solely experience
the five exquisite | sensuous j pleasures, enjoying them even m ore than do the gods
in the Paranirmita-Vasavartin Heaven and other heavens. All these sentient beings
will follow the Mahayana teachings. O thers w h o have corrcctly learned the M a­
hayana [elsewhere] m ay be born in that land.”
A fter Q ueen Srlmala had received the prophecy, innum erable gods and hu ­
m ans w ere jubilant, and they all wished to be b o m in that Buddha-land. The
W o rld-H onored O n e then prophesied that they w ould all be born in that land.
A fter having heard the Buddha's prophccy, Q ueen Srlmala stood before the
Tathagata w ith her palms joined, and m ade ten great vow s, saying:
(1) ‘‘W o rld -H o n o red O ne, from n o w until m y attainment o f enlightenment,
I will never think o f breaking the precepts I have received.
(2) “ W o rld-H onored O ne, from n o w until m y attainm ent o f enlightenment,
I will never be arrogant tow ard teachers or m y superiors.
(3) “W o rld -H o n o red O ne, from n o w until m y attainm ent o f enlightenment,
I w ill never feel ill will tow ard any sentient being.
(4) “W o rld -H o n o red O ne, from n o w until m y attainm ent o f enlightenment,
I will never be jealous o f m y superiors or those w hose possessions arc
superior to mine.
(5) “W orld -H o n o red O ne, from n o w until m y attainment o f enlightenment,
I will never be reluctant to give, even if I have only a little food.
(6) “W orld -H o no red O ne, from n o w until m y attainm ent o f enlightenment,
I will not acccpt m oney or accumulatc property for m y o w n sake, but
only for the sake o f relieving the poverty and sufferings o f sentient
beings.
366 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

(7) “W o rld-H onored O ne, from n o w until m y attainm ent o f enlightenment,

I will practicc the four inducem ents w ithout expecting rewards. I will
embrace sentient beings w ith a m ind that never covets profit, is never
weary, and is free o f hindrances.
(8) “ W orld-H onored One, from n o w until m y attainm ent o f enlightenment,
if I see any sentient being bereft o f parents or children, imprisoned, sick,
distressed, or suffering from any kind o f danger or misfortune, I will not
forsake him. Instead, I will give him peace and security, help him pro p ­
erly, and relieve him o f all sufferings.
(9) “ W orld-H onored O ne, from n o w until m y attainm ent o f enlightenment,
if I see anyone pursuing evil ways or violating the pure precepts o f the
Tathagata, [I will not forsake him]. In the citics, tow ns, and villages
under m y influence, I will subdue w h oev er should be subdued and em ­
brace w hoever should be embraced. Why? O n ly by subduing and em ­
bracing [sentient beings] will the true D h arm a5 endure. W hen the true
D harm a endures, gods and hum ans will thrive, the miserable planes o f
existence will diminish, and the Tathagata's D harm a-w heel will turn
perpetually.
(10) “W orld -H o n o red One, from n o w until m y attainm ent o f enlightenment,
I will never forget the true D harm a I have cmbraccd. W hy? T o forget the
true D h arm a is to forget the Mahayana; to forget the Mahayana is to
forget the paramitas; to forget the paramitas is to abandon the Mahayana.
If a Bodhisattva w avers in regard to the Mahayana, then he will not be
firm in em bracing the true D harm a, and consequently will not be able to
transcend the state o f an ordinary person, causing a great loss. W orld-
H o n o red O ne, the Bodhisattvas w ho embrace the true D harm a n o w or
in the future will receive unlimited, great benefits.

“W o rld -H o n o red O ne, N oble M aster, although you have witnessed the pro­
nouncem ent o f these great vows, sentient beings w ith meager roots o f virtue m ay
very well d o u b t the ten great vow s, for they are m o st difficult to accomplish.
T hese sentient beings m ay habitually perform unw h o leso m e actions in the long
night and be afflicted by all kinds o f suffering. It is to benefit these sentient beings
that I n o w m ake this sincere declaration before the Buddha: W o rld-H onored O ne,
if the ten great vo w s are true and not false, m ay celestial flowers rain d o w n over
this assembly and m ay a celestial voice be heard.”
As soon as Q ueen Srimala had said this to the Buddha, the sky began to rain
do w n celestial flowers, and a celestial voice exclaimed, “Excellent, Q ueen Srimala!
W hat you have said is true indeed.”
After the assembly saw the auspicc, they were freed from every doubt and
were overjoyed. T hey proclaimed in unison their desire to be born w herever
Q ueen Srimala w ould be born, to m ake the same vow s she had made, and to
 T he T rue L i o n ’s R o a r of Q ueen Sr im a la 367

perform the sam e deeds she would perform. Thereupon, the Buddha, the W orld-
H o no red O ne, prophesied that all their wishes w ould be fulfilled.
T hen Q ueen Srlmala m ade three m ore great vo w s before the Buddha, saying,
“I will benefit an infinite n um ber o f sentient beings through the pow er o f these
vows: first, I will, by m y good roots, attain the w isdom o f the true D harm a in all
m y lifetimes; second, after I have attained the true w isdom , w herever I m ay be
b o rn I will explain it untiringly to all sentient beings; third, in w hatever form I
may be born, I will not spare life or limb in embracing, protecting, and upholding
the true D h a rm a .”
W hen the W o rld-H onored O n e heard these vows, he told Srlmala, "Just as
all forms are contained in the realm o f spacc, so all the Bodhisattva 、 vows, as
num erous as the sands o f the Ganges, arc contained in these vows. These three
vo w s are truly vast.”
Then Q ueen Srlmala said to the Buddha, "W orld-H onored O ne, through
the cloqucncc vested in m e by the B uddha’s miraculous power, I w ould like to
explain the great vow. Please grant m e permission to speak.”
T h e Buddha said, "Srimala, speak as you w ish .”
Srimala said, “T h e Bodhisattva 、 vows, as num erous as the sands o f the
Ganges, arc all contained in one great vow . This one great vow is callcd the
embracing o f the Tathagata's T rue Dharma. 丁his embracing o f the true D harm a is
truly great and vast.”
T he B uddha said, "Well said, Srlmala! You have practiced the D harm a for a
long time; your w isdom and ingenuity are subtle and profound. A nyone who can
understand y our w ords m ust have planted m any good roots in the long night. You
speak o f the embracing of the true Dharma; it is the teaching o f the Buddhas o f the
past, present, and future. N o w that I have attained supreme enlightenment, I，too,
often teach the embracing o f the true Dharm a in various ways. T he merits derived
from praising the em bracing o f the true D harm a arc limitless, ju st as the w isdom
o f the Tathagata is limitless. Why? Bccause it is m ost m eritorious and bcncfi cial to
em brace the true D h arm a.”
Q ueen Srlinal^ then said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, by the
Buddha's divine power1) I wish to explain the broad m eaning o f the em bracing ot
the true D h a rm a .”
The B uddha said, “Speak as you w ish .”
Srlmala said, “To embrace the true Dharm a, broadly speaking, means to
attain all the infinite Buddha-D harm as, including the eighty thousand practiccs.
“Just as the m ulticolored clouds at the beginning o f a kalpa rain dow n
m yriad gems, so the cloud o f the good root o f em bracing the true D harm a rains
d o w n im m easurable blessings.
uWorld-1 ionorcd O ne, to illustrate further, the great flood at the beginning
o f a kalpa contains the cause o f the billion-world universe, including the forty
billion different continents.6 In the same way, the embracing o f the true D harm a
368 O n G eneral M ahayana D o ctr in e

contains the causc o f the immeasurable realm o f the Mahayana, and also the
miraculous pow ers o f the Bodhisattvas, the various D harm a-doors, and the pcrfcc­
tion o f the m undane and supram undane jo y never before cxpcricnccd by any god
or human.
“T o illustrate further, the great earth bears f our burdens. W hat arc the four?
T he occans, the m ountain ranges, the grasses and trees, and the sentient beings.
T he g o o d m en and w o m e n w h o cmbracc the true D h arm a can bear four burdens
heavier than those borne by the earth. W hat arc the four?
(1) T o tcach [cultivation of] the good roots o f gods and hum ans to the sen­
tient beings w h o arc apart from virtuous friends, lack learning, and arc
sinful, thus bringing those beings to maturity;
(2) to tcach the Sravaka-vchiclc to those w ho seek to be Sravakas;
(3) to tcach the Pratyckabuddha-vchiclc to those w h o seek to be Pratycka-
buddhas; and
(4) to tcach the Mahayana to those w h o seek the Mahayana.
These arc the four burdens, heavier than those borne by the earth, borne by the
g ood m en and w o m en w h o cm bracc the true Dharm a.
“W orld -H o n o red O ne, the good m en and w o m e n w h o cmbracc the true
D harm a arc able to establish [themselves like] the great earth to bear these tour
heavy burdens. T hey bccomc the friends o f all sentient beings universally, w ithout
need o f an invitation. T hey arc the D harm a-m othcrs o f the w orld, w h o benefit
sentient beings out o f pity and great compassion.
“T o illustrate further, the great earth is the sourcc o f the four categories o f
gems. W hat arc the four? T he invaluable gems, those o f high value, those o f
m ed ium value, and those o f low value. Similarly, the good m en and w o m e n w h o
cm bracc the true D h arm a and establish [themselves like] the great earth can causc
the sentient beings w h o m eet th em to obtain the four great treasures, w hich arc the
best o f all prccious things. W hat arc the four? W hen sentient beings m eet such
virtuous friends, they will obtain the good roots leading to birth as hum ans or
gods, to Sravakahood, to Pratyckabuddhahood, or to realization o f the Uncxccllcd
Vchiclc. Sentient beings will obtain these four great treasures after m eeting the
good m en and w o m en w h o cmbracc the true D harm a and establish [themselves
like] the great earth.
“W orld-H onored One, that w hich yields the [four] great treasures is the real
em bracing o f the true Dharm a.
“ W orld-H onored O ne, regarding the embracing o f the true D harm a, I do
not mean that the true D harm a and the em bracing o f the true D harm a arc differ-
ciu. The true D harm a is to cmbracc the true Dharm a.
“W o rld-H onored One, the embracing o f the true D harm a is no other than
: o p.lr^mitas, and the paramitas arc no other than the embracing o f the true
Dii.irnia. Why?
 T he T ru e L i o n 's R o a r o f Q u e e n S r im a la 369

“For those sentient beings w ho can best be m atured through giving, the
good m en and w o m en w h o embrace the true D harm a practice charity, giving even
their o w n lives and limbs. In this way, they bring those sentient beings to m aturity
in accordancc w ith their inclinations, to establish them firmly in the true D harm a.
T his is callcd the param ita o f giving.
“For those sentient beings w h o can best be m atured by discipline, [those
w ho cmbrace the true D harm a] guard their o w n six senses; purify their o w n
verbal, bodily, and mental actions; and conduct themselves w ith dignity. In this
way, th ey bring those sentient beings to m aturity in accordancc w ith their inclina­
tions, to establish them firmly in the true D harm a. This is called the paramita o f
discipline.
“For those sentient beings w ho can best be m atured by paticncc , 丨those w ho
embracc the true Dharma] are free o f ill will; intend only to benefit; and bear
rebukes, scoldings, insults, outrage, slander, libel, annoyance, and harassment with
the utm o st patience, even w ithout their faces changing color in the slightest. In this
way, they bring those sentient beings to m aturity in accordance w ith their inclina­
tions, to establish them firmly in the true Dharma. This is called the paramita o f
paticncc.
“For those sentient beings w h o can best be m atured by vigor, [those w ho
cmbrace the true D harm a] do not have an indolent or negative mentality, but
show great aspiration and supreme vigor, w hether walking, standing, sitting, or
lying dow n. In this way, they bring those sentient beings to m atu rity in ac­
cordance w ith their inclinations, to establish them firmly in the true D harm a.
This is called the paramita o f vigor.
“For those sentient beings w h o can best be m atured by meditation, [those
w ho em brace the true Dharma] arc not distractcd, and achicvc right mindfulness
and rem em brance. In this way, they bring those sentient beings to m aturity in
accordance w ith their inclinations, to establish them firmly in the true Dharm a.
This is called the param ita o f meditation.
‘‘For those sentient beings w ho can best be m atured by w isdom and w h o ask
questions about the D h arm a in order to benefit from it, [those w h o embrace the
true Dharma] untiringly explain all doctrincs, all scienccs, and all techniques, until
those sentient beings fully com prehend w hat is ultimate. In this way, they bring
those sentient beings to m aturity in accordance with their inclinations, to establish
th em fi rm ly in the true Dharm a. This is callcd the paramita o f w isdom .
“Therefore, W orld-H onored O ne, the em bracing o f the true D harm a is not
different from the paramitas; the em bracing o f the true D harm a is the paramitas.^
T he Q ueen Srimala continued, "W orld-H onored O ne, through the cloqucncc
vested in m e by the B u d d h a’s divine pow er, I wish to elaborate on the great
m eaning [of the em bracing o f the true D h a rm a j .，，
T he B uddha said, “ W hat is the great m eaning?”
“ W o rld-H onored O ne, in referring to those w h o embrace the true D harm a,
370 O n G eneral M a h a y a n a D o c tr in e

I do not m ean that they constitute an entity that differs from the em bracing o f the
true D h arm a.7 T he good m en and w o m en w h o embrace the true D harm a are the
em bracing o f the true Dharm a. Why?
“T h e good m en and w o m en w ho embracc the true D harm a give their
bodies, lives, and possessions for the sake o f the true Dharm a. By giving their
bodies, these people will realize that w hich transccnds the limits o f sarhsara, will
be free from old age and sickness, and will attain the Tathagata's D harm a-body,
which is indestructible, eternal, changclcss, ultimately tranquil, and inconceivable.
By giving their lives, they will realize that w hich transcends the limits o f saiiisara,
will be forever released from death, will attain eternity, will acquirc the inconceiv­
able merits, and will securely abide in all the B uddha-D harm as and m iraculous
powers. By giving their possessions, they will realize that w hich transccnds the
limits o f sariisara, and will go far beyond the realm o f sentient beings. T hey will
attain inexhaustible, undim inishing, pcrfect accomplishments; will acquirc incon­
ccivablc m erits and magnificent attributes; and will be h o n o red and served by
o th er sentient beings.8
“W orld-H onored one, the good m en and w om en w h o give their bodies,
lives, and possessions in order to cmbracc the true D harm a will reccivc the T atha-
gata's prophecy [of their attainm ent o f Buddhahood].
“W orld-H onored One, w hen the true D harm a is on the verge o f extinction,
the monks, nuns, laymen, and layw om en will gather in groups, form factions, and
dispute with one another. A t that time, the good m en and w o m en w ho, w ithout
crookedness or deceit, chcrish and cmbracc the true D harm a will associate w ith the
good faction;9 those w h o associate w ith the good faction will definitely receive the
B u d d h a’s prophccy [of their attainment o f enlightenment].
“ W orld-H onored O ne, I see that to embracc the true D h arm a has this tre­
mendous power. T he Tathagata regards this [doctrine] as the eye [of the D harm a],
the basis o f the D harm a, the guide o f the D harm a, and the understanding o f the
D h a rm a .”
T hen the W o rld-H onored O ne, having heard Q ueen Srlmala explain the
great p o w e r o f em bracing the true Dharm a, exclaimed, ‘‘So it is, so it is! Excellent,
Srlmala! Just as you say, to embracc the true D h arm a has trem endous, aw esom e
pow er. A person will feel great pain or even bccom e severely ill w hen one o f his
vulnerable spots10 is touched even slightly by a strong man. In the same way,
Srlmala, the dem on PapTyan feels excruciating pain, w orry, and distress, and howls
and m oans w ith w oe w h en som eone embraces even a small p o rtion o f the true
D harm a. Srimala, I have never seen any w ay to cause that dem on w o rry and
distress as effcctivc as embracing the true Dharm a, even a small portion o f it.
''Srimala, ju st as the king o f cattlc is m o re beautiful in form and color and
larger in size than other cattle, so, Srlmala, one w h o practices the Mahayana, even
if he embraces only a small portion o f the true Dharm a, is superior to the Sravakas
and Pratyekabuddhas w ith all their w holesom e dharmas.
"Srlmala, M o u n t Sumeru, the king o f m ountains, surpasses all other m o u n ­
 T h e T r u e L i o n ' s R o a r o f Q u e e n S r i m Al A 371

tains in height, breadth, and beauty. In th e sam e w ay, Srlmala, a novice in the
Mahayana who, in order to benefit others, cmbraccs the true Dharm a w ithout
regard for his life or limb is superior to a person w ho has long been abiding in the
M ahayana, but w h o is always concerned w ith his body and life, in spite o f all his
good roots.
"Therefore, Srlmala, you should reveal, demonstrate, and teach the em brac­
ing o f the true Dharm a to all sentient beings.
“Thus, Srlmala, to cmbrace the true D harm a yields great blessings, benefits,
and karmic fruits. Srlmala, although for innumerable, incalculable kalpas I have
praised the merits o f em bracing the true Dharma, I have not exhausted them.
Therefore, to cmbrace the true D harm a brings about infinite m erits.”
T he B uddha told Srlmala, “Y ou should n o w explain further the em bracing o f
the true D harm a, w hich I have taught, and w hich is chcrishcd by all Buddhas
alike■ ”
Srlmala said, “ Very well, W orld-H onored O ne. The em bracing o f the true
D harm a is called the Mahayana. Why? Because the M ahayana gives birth to all
Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, and all m undane and supram undane wholesom e
dharmas. Just as Lake Anavatapta is the sourcc o f the eight rivers,11 so the Mahayana
produces all Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, and all m undane and supram undane
w holesom e dharmas.
“W orld-H onored O ne, ju st as all seeds, grasses, trees, and forests depend
upon the great earth in order to grow , so all Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, and
all m undane and supram undane w holesom e dharmas, depend upon the M ahayana
in order to grow . Therefore, W orld-H onored One, to abide in and cm brace the
M ahayana is to abide in and cm brace [the vehicles of] the Sravakas and the Prat-
yckabuddhas, and all m undane and supram undane w holesom e dharmas.
‘‘T h e Buddha, the W orld-H onored O ne, has discoursed on six subjects,
namely, the abiding o f the true Dharm a, the extinction o f the true Dharm a, the
Pratimoksa, the Vinaya, true renunciation o f the household life, and full monastic
ordination. It is for the sake o f the M ahayana that these six subjects are taught.
Why? The abiding o f the true D harm a is taught for the sake o f the M ahayana
becausc the abiding o f the M ahayana is the abiding o f the true Dharm a. T he
extinction c f the true D harm a is taught for the sake o f the M ahayana bccausc the
extinction o f the M ahayana is the extinction o f the true D harm a. As for the
Pratimoksa and the Vinaya, these tw o D harm as differ in name, but m ean the same.
Vinaya is instruction for the M ahayana. W hy? It is for the sake o f Buddhahood,
[which is the aim o f the M ahayana,) that one leaves the household life and receives
full monastic ordination. Therefore, the Vinaya, true renunciation o f the house­
hold life, and full m onastic ordination are all M ahayana disciplines.
“W o rld -H o n o red O ne, the Arhats do not [truly] leave the household life or
receive full monastic ordination. Why? Bccausc it is not for the sake o f Tathagata­
hood that they leave the household life or receive full monastic ordination.
“T h e Arhats take refuge in the Tathagata out o f fear. W hy? T he Arhats are
372 O n G en era l M a h a y a n a D o c tr in e

constantly afraid o f all phenom ena, as if som eone sought to h arm th em w ith a
sw o rd in hand. Therefore, they do not actually accomplish the deeds o f renuncia­
tion, n o r do they attain the ultimate bliss. W orld-H onored O ne, [he w ho does not
need] a refuge docs not seek a refuge. Just as sentient beings w ithout refuge are
afraid o f this and that and seek refuge for the sake o f security and pcacc, so,
W o rld -H o n o red O ne, the A rhats take refuge in the Tathagata out o f fear.
“Thus, the A rhats and the Pratyekabuddhas have n o t ended their rebirths,
have not sufficiently cultivated pure conduct, have not accomplished w hat should
be accomplished, and have not com pletely cradicatcd w hat should be eradicated;
they are still far from nirvana. Why? O nly the Tathagata, the W orthy O ne, the
Perfectly Enlightened O ne, has attained nirvana; has achieved all the infinite, in­
conceivable merits; has eradicated all that should be cradicatcd; is ultimately pure;
is adored by all sentient beings; and has transcended the states o f the tw o vehicles
and o f the Bodhisattvas. T he Arhats and so forth have not done so. It is only as
skillful means that the Buddha speaks o f them as having attained nirvana. T here­
fore, they are still tar from nirvana.
“W o rld-H onored O ne, w hen the Tathagata says that the Arhats and Prat­
yekabuddhas have an insight into liberation, thoroughly possess the four k n o w l­
edges,12 and have attained ultim ate relief and rest, he is speaking o f the expedient
truth in order to accomm odatc others’ inclinations. Why? There arc tw o kinds o f
[birth and] death. W hat are the two? T h ey are the recurring [birth and] death and
the transform ational [birth and] death. T he recurring [birth and] death are the
[birth and death of] sentient beings w h o continue [to exist in samsara]. T he trans­
form ational [birth and] death are [the birth and death o f| the m ind-created bodies13
o f Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, and liberated Bodhisattvas,14 w hich they retain until
they attain bodhi. N ow , o f the tw o kinds o f [birth and] death, it is with regard to
the recurring [birth and] death that the Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas arc said to
k n o w they have exhausted their rebirths. Because they have realized the in co m ­
plete fruit, they arc said to k n o w they have fully cultivated pure conduct. Because
they have thoroughly eradicated the continuous defilements13— which cannot be
accom plished by any ordinary people or by the seven grades o f learners16— they are
said to k n o w they have accomplished w h at should be accomplished.
“W o rld -H o n o red O ne, to say that the Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas k n o w
they arc no m ore subject to future existence does not mean that they have eradi­
cated all defilements or that they k n o w all their re b irth . Why? T he Arhats and
Pratyekabuddhas still have som e residual defilements not yet eradicated; therefore,
they cannot k n o w all their rebirths.
“T here arc tw o kinds o f defilements: underlying defilements and active defile­
ments. 17 T he underlying defilements arc four in num ber. W hat arc they? A ttach­
m ent to a particular viewpoint, attachm ent to desire, attachm ent to form, and
craving for existence. W o rld -H o n o red O ne, these four underlying defilements can
producc all activc defilements. T he activc defilements arise from m o m en t to m o ­
m ent in concom itance w ith the mind. W orld-H onored O ne, the underlying d e­
 T he T ru e L i o n ' s R o a r o f Q u een Sr im a l a 373

filement o f ignorance never arises in concomitance w ith the m ind from bcginning-
lcss tim e .18
“W orld -H o n ored O n e, th e four underlying defilements are powerful; they
can breed all the active defilements. Yet, in comparison w ith them , the underlying
defilement o f ignorance is so m uch m ore powerful that the difference is inex­
pressible either by figures or analogies. Thus, W orld-H onored O ne, the under­
lying defilement o f ignorance is m ore powerful than the craving for cxistcnce.
Just as the form , pow er, authority, and retinue o f the dem on king overshadow
those o f the gods o f the Paranirmita-Vasavartin Heaven, so the underlying defile­
m ent o f ignorancc overshadows the other four underlying defilements. All other
defilements, which are m o re num erous than the sands o f the Ganges, depend on
the underlying defilement o f ignorance. It also causes the other four underlying
defilements to endure. It can be eradicated only by th c 、 >visdoni o f the Tathagata,
not by the w isdom o f the Sravakas or the Pratyekabuddhas. This being the case,
W o rld-H onored O ne, the underlying defilement o f ignorance is the m ost powerful
o f all.
“W orld -H o n o red O ne, w ith grasping as the condition and defiled karm as as
the cause, the three realms arc produced. Likewise, w ith the underlying defilement
o f ignorance as the condition and undcfilcd karmas as the causc, the mind-crcated
bodies o f Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, and powerful Bodhisattvas are produced. These
three kinds o f m ind-crcatcd bodies and the undcfilcd karmas all depend on the
underlying defilement o f ignorance, being conditioned as well as conditioning.
Therefore, W o rld -H o n o red O ne, the three kinds o f m ind-created bodies and unde­
filed karm as all have the underlying defilement o f ignorance as their condition, ju st
as th e craving for cxistcncc [also depends on th e underlying defilement o f igno­
rance as its condition].
‘‘W orld-H onored O ne, the underlying craving for existence functions differ­
ently from the underlying defilement of ignorance. The underlying defilement of
ignorancc is different from the other four underlying defilements, and for this rea­
son it can be eradicated only by the Buddha. Why? Because, though the Arhats and
Pratyekabuddhas have eradicated the four underlying defilements, they have not
fully mastered the p o w e r o f utter exhaustion o f defilements. T hey have not realized
that state. Why? W o rld-H onored O ne, to say that their defilements have been
exhausted is an exaggeration. Being clouded by the underlying defilement of
ignorance, the Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas in their last [sariisaric]
existences do n o t k n o w and perceive all dharmas. Because they do not k n o w and
perccive all dharm as, they have left uneradicated w hat should be eradicated, and
left unfinished w hat should be finished. Bccausc they have not eradicated and
finished all that should be eradicated and finished, they have attained incom plete
liberation, not com plete liberation; incom plete purity, not com plete purity; incom ­
plete merits, not com plete merits. W orld-H onored O ne, because they have only
attained incom plete liberation, not th o rou g h liberation, and only incom plete m e r­
its, not all merits, their know ledge o f suffering is incom plete, their eradication o f
374 O n G eneral M a h a y a n a D o c tr in e

the cause o f suffering is incomplete, their realization o f the cessation o f suffering is

incomplete, and their following o f the path is incom plete.”
Q ueen Srlmala continued, "W orld-H onored One, if one know s suffering
only in part, eradicates the causc o f suffering only in part, realizes the cessation o f
suffering only in part, and follows the path only in part, he is said to have realized
partial nirvana. O n e w h o has realized partial nirvana is only advancing tow ard the
realm o f nirvana.
‘‘H ow ever, if o ne know s suffering completely, eradicates all causcs o f suffer­
ing completely, realizes the complete cessation of all suffering, and follows the
path in its entirety, then he will realize the permanent, quiet, cool nirvana within
an im perm anent, decaying, corrupt world. W orld-H onored O ne, such a person
can be a protector and refuge in a w orld w here there is no protector or refuge.
W hy? O n e w h o sees high and low in things cannot realize nirvana. O n ly one w h o
perccives, 谷quality、in w isdom , equality in liberation, and equality in p urity can
realize nirV^na; therefore, nirvaiia is callcd the uniform , one taste. What is the one
taste? It is the taste o f liberation.
W orld -H o n o red One, one cannot attain nirvana, the one taste, the uniform
taste, if he docs not completely eradicate and exhaust the underlying defilement o f
ignorance. W hy? Because if he does not do so, he cannot completely w ipe out all
the faults th at should be w iped out, which arc m ore num erous than the sands o f
the Ganges. If he docs not w ipe out all faults, w hich arc m o re num erous than the
sands o f the Ganges, he cannot realize all merits, w hich are equally num erous.
“This being the case, the underlying defi lement o f ignorance is the breeding
g round o f all defilements that should be cradicatcd. From it arise all the defilements
causing hindrances to the mind: hindrances to tranquillity, contemplation, m edita­
tion, samapatti, intensive effort, wisdom , fruition, realization, power, and fearless­
ness. [From it arise] all the defilements, m ore num erous than the sands o f the
Ganges, that can be eradicated only by the T athagata^ enlightenm ent and the
B u d d h a’s diam ondlikc w isdom . All activc defilements depend on the underlying
defilement o f ignorance, for ignorancc is their cause and condition.
“W o rld -H o n o red One, these activc defilements arise from m om en t to m o ­
m ent in concom itance w ith the mind. H ow ever, W o rld-H onored O ne, the under­
lying defilement o f ignorancc never arises in concomitance w ith the m ind from
beginningless time.
“ W orld-H onored O ne, all the defilements, m ore n u m ero u s than the sands o f
the G anges,19 w hich should be eradicated by the T athagata's enlightenm ent and the
B uddha's diam ondlike w isdom , depend on and are established by the underlying
defilement orig^foranC-e. As an illustration, consider seeds, plants, and forests, all
o f w hich germ inate and g row from the great earth. If the earth w ere destroyed,
thev w ould also be destroyed. Similarly, all the defilements, m ore num erous than
the sands o f the Ganges, w hich should be eradicated by the T athagata^ enlighten­
m ent and the B u d d h a’s diamondlikc wisdom, depend on the underlying defilement
 T h e T r u e L i o n ' s R o a r o f Q u e e n S r i m Al A 375

o f ignorance for their existence and grow th. O nce the underlying defilement o f
ignorance is cut off, all these defilements20 will simultaneously be cut off.
“W hen all things— the [underlying] defilements and active defilements, m ore
num erous than the sands o f the Ganges— which should be cut off have been cut
off, one will be able to realize the inconceivable Buddha-D harm as, w hich are [also]
m o re n u m erous th an the sands o f the Ganges. He will penetrate all dharm as
w ithout obstruction,21 becom c all-know ing and all-seeing, be free from all faults,
achieve all m erits, and becom e a great D h arm a king w h o has gained mastery o f all
dharm as and w h o has realized the state o f free com m and o f all dharmas. H e will be
able to m ake the true lion’s roar: ‘I have ended m y rebirths; I have fully cultivated
pure conduct; I have done w hat should be done; and I am no m ore subject to
[sarhsaric] existence•’ This is w hy the W orld-H onored O n e constantly m akes his
firm proclam ation in a lion’s roar based on the ultimate truth.
“ W orld-H onored O ne, the know ledge o f being no m ore subject to 丨sariis^ric!
existence is o f tw o kinds. W hat arc the two? T h e first [knowledge] belongs to the
Tathagatas. T h e Tathagatas have vanquished, with their harnessing and subduing
pow er, the four demons; have transcended all w orlds and are esteemed by all
sentient beings; have realized the inconceivable, pure D harm a-body; have attained
mastery in all fields o f knowledge; are unexcelled and supremely magnificent; have
nothing m o re to do and see no further stage to realize; are endow ed w ith the ten
powers; have ascended to the suprem e stage o f fearlessness; and observe all dhar­
mas w ithout hindrance. Therefore, they can m ake the true lion's roar, proclaim ing
that they arc no m ore subject to [sariisaric] existence.
“T he second [know ledge o f being no m ore subject to saiiisaric existence]
belongs to the A rhats and Pratyekabuddhas. They have been released from the fear
o f countless births and deaths and are enjoying the bliss o f liberation; therefore,
they think, ‘I have left the frightful sariisara behind and will suffer no m ore pain .，
“W o rld -H o n o red O ne, by making this observation, the Arhats and Pratye­
kabuddhas also claim that they are no m ore subject to [sariisaric] existence. H o w ­
ever, they have not realized the highest state o f relief and rest— nirvana. O n the
other hand, if they are not deluded by the D harm a they have realized, thev will
be able to understand [that there are] states they have not realized, [saying to th em ­
selves, | ‘N o w I have only realized an incom plete state ，；and they will defmitcly
a tta in s u p re m e e n lig h te n m e n t. W h y ? B ccause [the vehicles o f [ th e S ravakas an d the
Pratyekabuddhas arc both included in the Mahayana, and the M ahayana is the
Buddha-vehicle. This being the ease, the three vehicles are the O n e Vehicle.
“O n e w h o realizes th e O n e Vehicle attains supreme enlightenment. Supreme
enlightenm ent is nirvana. N irvana is the pure D h arm a-b o d y of the Tathagata. To
realize the D h arm a-b o dy is the O ne Vehicle. The Tathagata is not different from
the D harm a-body; the 1'athagata is the D harm a-body. T h e realization o f the ulti­
mate D h arm a-b o d y is the ultimate O n e Vehicle.
“T h e ultim ate O n e Vehicle is that which is apart from [ordinaryl continuity.
376 O n G eneral M a h a y a n a D o c tr in e

Why? W orld-H onored O ne, if one says that the abiding tim e o f the Tathagata is
imm easurable, equal to the boundless future, and th at the Tathagata can benefit the
w orld w ith limitless compassion and limitless vows, he is said to speak well. If one
says that the Tathagata is permanent, is an unending Dharm a, and is the ultim ate
refuge o f all sentient beings, he is also said to speak well. Therefore, the Tathagata,
the W orthy O ne, the Supremely Enlightened O ne, is an inexhaustible refuge, an
ever-abiding refuge, and an ultimate refuge, for an infinite length o f time stretch­
ing into the future, in a w orld w ithout [any other] protection or refuge.
“T he Dharm a is the path o f the O n e Vehicle. T he Saiiigha is the assembly
o f the three vehicles. H ow ever, the D harm a and the Sarhgha are partial refuges,
not ultim ate refuges. W hy? A lthough the path o f the O n e Vehicle is taught, it is no
longer m entioned after one has attained the ultim ate D harm a-body. Because they
have fear, those in the assembly o f the three vehicles take refuge in the Tathagata
and learn and practice the D harm a; they are still in the active process o f w orking
tow ard suprem e enlightenm ent themselves. Therefore, the tw o refuges are only
limited refuges, not ultim ate ones.
“ W hen sentient beings arc subdued by the Tathagata and take refuge in the
Tathagata, their thirst is relieved by the nectar o f D harm a, and they generate faith
and joy; [ consequently] they take refuge also in the D harm a and the Sariigha.
These tw o refuges are [conceived as] refuges because o f sentient beings’ faith
generated th rough the quenching o f their thirst by the nectar o f Dharm a. The
Tathagata is not such a refuge; the Tathagata is a true refuge. Nevertheless, in
terms o f the ultimate truth, to take refuge in the Dharm a and the Sarhgha is to
take ultim ate refuge in the Tathagata. Why? T he Tathagata is not different from
these tw o refuges; the Tathagata is the three refuges.
“W hy is the path o f the O n e Vehicle taught? T he Tathagata, the Suprem e
O ne, is endow ed w ith the four fearlessnesses and is able to m ake the true lion’s
roar. If the Tathagatas, in accordance w ith sentient beings’ needs, teach the tw o
vehicles as skillful means, [then the tw o vehicles they teach] are no other than the
Great Vehicle, because in the highest truth there are no tw o vehicles. T he tw o
vehicles both m erge into the O n e Vehicle, and the O n e Vehicle is the vehicle o f
suprem e truth.
“W o rld-H onored One, w hen Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas reach the initial
realization o f the four noble truths, it is not w ith the one [supreme] know ledge
that they eradicate the underlying defilements, realize the merits o f complete k n o w l­
edge o f the four noble truths, or understand the esscnce o f the four truths. W orld-
H o no red O ne, they lack the supram undane knowledge, so the four knowledges
[of the four truths] com e to them gradually, cach conditioning the next. W orld-
H o n o red Orie, the supram undane know ledge, like a diam ond [which cuts things at
one stroke], is not gradu al in nature.
“W o rld -H o n ored O ne, the Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas eradicate the un-
derlving defilements by k now ing the noble truths in m any ways, but they do not
possess the supreme, supram undane knowledge. O nly the Tathagata, the W orthy
 T he T ruk L io n 's R oar of Q ueen S r i m Al A 377

One, the A ll-K now ing O ne, can break up the shells o f all defilements by his
inconceivable know ledge o f emptiness; it is beyond the dom ain o f the Sravakas
and Pratyekabuddhas.
“ W o rld-H onored O ne, the ultim ate know ledge w hich shatters the shells o f
defilements is called the supreme, supram undane know ledge. T he initial k n o w l­
edge o f the noble truths is not the ultim ate knowledge; it is know ledge only leading
to suprem e enlightenment.
“W orld -H o n o red O ne, the true meaning o f the w o rd ‘noble’ does not apply
to [those w h o follow] the tw o vehicles. Why? T he Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas
are said to be noble merely bccause they can attain a small part o f the merits [of a
Tathagata]. W o rld-H onored O ne, the [real] noble truths arc not truths belonging
to Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas, and are not merits belonging to them . T h e [real]
noble truths are realized only by a Tathagata, a Worthy O ne, a Pcrfcctly E nlight­
ened O ne, and afterwards revealed, dem onstrated, and explained to sentient beings
in the w orld w h o are confined in shells o f ignorance. H ence the nam e ‘noble
truths. ’
“W o rld -H o n o red O ne, the [real] noble truths arc very profound, subtle,
difficult to pcrccive, hard to understand, and not to be discriminated; they arc
beyond the realm o f th ought and speculation, and they transcend the credence o f
all the w orld. T h ey are k n o w n only to Tathagatas, W o rth y Ones, Pcrfcctly En­
lightened O nes. Why? These truths explain the very profound T athagata-cm bryo.22
The T athagata-cm bryo belongs in the realm o f the B uddha and is beyond the
dom ain o f the Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas. Since the noble truths are explained
on the basis o f the T athagata-em bryo, and since the T athagata-em bryo is profound
and subtle, the noble truths are also profound and subtle, difficult to perceive, hard
to understand, and not to be discriminated; they are beyond the realm o f thought
and speculation, and transcend the credence o f all the world. T hey can be k n o w n
only by a Tathagata, a W o rth y O ne, a Perfectly Enlightened One.
“If one has no doubt about the T athagata-em bryo, w hich [in ordinary beings]
is w rapped in an incalculable n u m b er o f defilements, he will also have no doubt
about the D h arm a-b o d y o f the Tathagata, w hich is beyond all defilement.
“W o rld-H onored O ne, if one can have true faith in the Tathagata-em bryo
and the B uddha's D h arm a-b o dy — the inconccivable, csotcric realm o f the B u d ­
dha— he will then be able to believe in and understand well the tw o m eanings o f
the noble truths.
“W hat are the tw o m eanings o f the noble truths? T h ey are the activc and the
nonactivc. T h e active noble tru th s arc the four noble truths in an incomplete sense.
Why? W hen one has to rely on others for protection, he cannot completely k now
suffering, eradicate all causcs o f suffering, realize the complete cessation o f suffer­
ing, or follow in its entirety the path leading to the cessation o f suffering. T here­
fore, he cannot k n o w conditioned things, unconditioned things, or nirvana.
“W o rld -H o n o red O ne, the nonactive noble truths refer to the four noble
truths in the complete sense. Why? Because, w hen one can rely on him self for
378 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

protection, he can completely k n o w suffering, eradicate all causcs o f suffering,

realize the com plete cessation o f suffering, and follow in its entirety the path
leading to the cessation o f suffering.
“Thus, there are in all eight noble truths m entioned; however, the B uddha
teaches th em only [in term s of] four noble truths. T he m eaning o f the nonactivc
four noble truths is perfectly realized only by Tathagatas, W orthy Ones, Perfectly
Enlightened O nes, and is beyond the capacity o f Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas.
W hy? Because nirvana is not to be realized by any dharm a, w hether superior or
inferior, w hether low, middle, or high.
“ W hat does it m ean that the Tathagatas perfectly realize the nonactive truths?
T he Tathagatas, the W orthy Ones, the Supremely Enlightened O nes, completely
k n o w suffering; have eradicated all causcs o f suffering, which arc the defilements;
have realized the com plete cessation o f all suffering, [even that] derived from the
aggregates o f a mind-created body; and have followed in its entirety the path
leading to the cessation o f suffering.
“W o rld-H onored O ne, the term ‘cessation o f suffering’ does not imply the
destruction o f anything. W hy? Because the cessation o f suffering has no beginning,
no action, no origination, and no end; it is ever-abiding, im m ovable, intrinsically
pure, and free from the shell o f defilements.23
“W orld-H onored One, the Tathagata has achieved inconccivablc D harm as
m ore n u m ero u s than the sands o f the Ganges, D harm as w hich em b o d y the w isdom
o f liberation and w hich are referred to as the D h arm a-b o d y . W o rld-H onored O ne,
w h en this D h arm a-b o d y is not apart from defilements, it is called the Tathagata-
e m b ry o .24
"W orld-H onored O ne, the T athagata-em bryo is the T athagata’s know ledge25
o f emptiness. T he Tathagata-em bryo has never been seen or realized by any
Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha. It is perceivcd and witnessed only by the Buddhas.
“W o rld-H onored O ne, the know ledge o f emptiness o fth c Tathagata-em bryo
is o f tw o kinds. W hat arc the two? T he first is the know ledge that the Tathagata-
embryo is empty: that it is apart from all defilements and apart from know ledge
w hich does not lead to liberation. The second is the know ledge that the Tathagata-
embryo is not empty: that it contains inconceivablc D harm as m ore num erous than
the sands o f the Ganges, w hich em bo d y the B uddhas’ w isdom o f liberation.
“ W orld-H onored O ne, the advanced Sravakas can, through faith, gain access
to these tw o know ledges o f emptiness. W orld-H onored O ne, the know ledge o f
emptiness possessed by the Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas is connccted w ith and
revolves around the four w ro n g views. Therefore, no Sravaka or Pratyekabuddha
has ever perceived or realized the complete cessation o f suffering. O n ly the B u d ­
dha has realized it dircctly; he has eradicated all defilements and followed in its
entirety the path leading to the cessation o f suffering.
“W orld-H onored One, o f the four noble truths, three truths are im per­
m anent, and one truth is perm anent. W hy? T he three noble truths [of suffering,
the cause o f suffering, and the path leading to the cessation o f suffering] belong to
 T he T rue L io n 's R oar of Q ueen S r im a l a 379

the realm o f conditioned dharmas. W hat is conditioned is im perm anent, and w hat
is im perm anent is destructible. W hat is destructible is not true, not perm anent, and
not a refuge. Therefore, in the ultimate sense, the three noble truths are not true,
not perm anent, and not a refuge.
“W orld -H o n ored O ne, the noble tru th o f the cessation o f suffering is be­
y ond the realm o f conditioned dharmas. W hat is beyond the realm o f conditioned
dharmas is ever-abiding by nature. W hat is ever-abiding by nature is indestructi­
ble. W hat is indcstructiblc is true, perm anent, and a refuge. For this reason, W orld-
H o no red One, the noble truth o f the cessation o f suffering is in the ultimate sense
true, permanent, and a refuge.
“W orld -H o n ored O ne, this noble tru th o f th e cessation of suffering is incon­
ceivable. It is beyond the realm o f all sentient beings’ m ind and consciousness; it is
also beyond the dom ain o f all Arhats，and Pratyekabuddhas’ knowledge. Just as the
myriad colors cannot be seen by a m an born blind, or as the sun cannot be seen by
a seven-day-old infant, so the noble truth o f the cessation o f suffering cannot be an
object o f ordinary people’s m ind and consciousness, n o r is it in the domain o f any
Sravakas' or Pratyekabuddhas’ knowledge.
“T he consciousncss o f ordinary people refers to the tw o ex trem e views. T he
k now ledge o f Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas means their pure knowledge.
“Extrem e views m ean [the views which arise when] one clings to the five
aggregates as the self and m akes various discriminations. There are tw o extreme
views. W hat are the two? T he ctcrnalistic view and the nihilistic view.
“ W orld-H onored O ne, if one sees sarhsara as im perm anent and nirvaiia as
perm anent, his view is neither nihilistic n o r eternalistic, but is th e ；right view .26
W hy? When deluded people see that bodies, sense-organs, and that w hich thinks
and feels all perish in this life, but do not understand the continuation o f existence,
then, being blind and w ithout the eye o f wisdom, they conceive a nihilistic view.
W hen they see the continuity o f the m ind but fail to see the aspect o f its m o m en ­
tary perishing, then being ignorant o f the [true] state o f consciousness, they con-
ceivc an eternalistic view .27
“W orld -H o n o red O ne, the before-mentioned truth is beyond all discrimina­
tion and beyond inferior understanding. Because fools have delusive thoughts and
cling to misconceived ideas, they believe either nihilism or eternalism.
“W o rld -H o n o red O ne, concerning the five aggregates, deluded sentient be­
ings consider the im perm anent to be perm anent, suffering to be joy, nonsclf to be
self’ and the im pure to be pure. The Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, w ith all their
pure w isdom , never glimpse the B u d d h a’s D harm a-body or the state o f the T a­
thagata. '
“If a sentient being, out o f faith in the Tathagata, regards the Tathagata as
perm anent, joyous, pure, and possessing a self, he does n o t sec [the Tathagata]
w rongly; he sees him correctly. Why? Because the D harm a-body o f the Tathagata
is the perfection28 o f perm ancnce, the perfection o f joy, the perfection o f self, and
the pcrfcction o f purity. T hose sentient beings w h o assume such a view are said to
380 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

have the right view. T hose who assume thevright view-are callcd the true sons o f
the Buddha, b orn from the Buddha's m outh, t o r n from the true D harm a, born
from the D harm a m iraculously,29 and heirs to the Buddha-D harm a.
‘‘W orld-H onored One, the so-called pure k now ledge is the perfection o f
k now ledge o f all A rhats and Pratyekabuddhas. Even this pure knowledge, pure as
it is said to be, cannot em brace the realm o f the noble truth o f the cessation o f
suffering, let alone the know ledge o f [those w h o practice] the four reliances. W hy,
then, docs the W orld -H o n o red O n e teach the four reliances? In order that the
novices o f the three vehicles m ay not be ignorant o f the D harm a and m ay even­
tually realize its meaning.
‘‘W o rld-H onored O ne, these four reliances are m undane dharmas. W orld-
H o no red O ne, there is one reliance w hich is the highest o f all reliances, w hich is
the supram undane, supreme, and ultimate reliance— namely, [nirvana,] the noble
truth o f the cessation o f suffering.30
“W o rld -H o n o red One, th e cycle o f birth and death [sariisara] is based
on the T athagata-em bryo. Because o f the T athagata-em bryo, the beginning [of
sariisara] cannot be k n ow n. W orld-H onored O ne, if one says that because there is
the T athagata-em bryo there is sariisara, he speaks well.
“W o rld -H o n o red O ne, the cycle o f birth and death means the cessation o f
the sense faculties and the imm ediate arising o f n ew sense faculties. W orld-
H o n o red O ne, the tw o dharmas, birth and death, are the Tathagata-em bryo itself;
they arc called birth and death from the conventional viewpoint. W orld-H onored
O ne, death m eans the cessation o f sense faculties, and birth means the arising o f
sense faculties. T h e T athagata-em bryo, however, neither arises n o r ceases to be,
neither em erges n o r vanishes; it is beyond the realm o f conditioned [dharmas].
“W o rld -H o n o red One, the Tathagata-em bryo is perm anent and indestructi­
ble. Therefore, W orld -H o n o red O ne, the Tathagata-em bryo is the base, the sup­
port, and the foundation o f the w isdom o f liberation. It is also the base, the
support, and the foundation o f all conditioned dharmas.
“W orld -H o n ored O ne, if there were no T athagata-em bryo, there w ould be
no abhorrence o f suffering and no longing for nirvana.31 Why? T h e seven dharm as—
the six consciousnesses and their objects— arc m om entary and nonabiding, and
therefore cannot retain the experience o f suffering. Hence, they are unable to abhor
suffering or aspire to nirvana. T he Tathagata-em bryo has no beginning, neither
arises n o r ceases, and can retain the experience o f suffering. It is the cause o f
[sentient beings5] renunciation o f suffering and aspiration for nirvana.
‘‘W orld-H onored O ne, the T athagata-em bryo is not a self, a personal iden­
tity, a being, o r a life. T he Tathagata-em bryo is not in the dom ain o f sentient
beings w h o believe in a real self, w hose thinking is confused, or w h o r i n g tc>
the \ icw of emptiness. '•
“W orld-H onored O ne, the Tathagata-em bryo is the store o f the dharm a­
d h a tu . the store o f the D harm a-body, the store o f the supram undane, and the store
of intrinsic purity.
“This intrinsically pure Tathagata-em bryo, as I understand it, is always the
 T he T rue L i o n ’s R o a r of Q ueen S r i m Al A 381

inconceivable state o f the Tathagata even if contam inated by defilements, the ad­
ventitious dust. Why? W o rld -H o n o red One, the mind, w h eth er virtuous or non-
virtuous, changes from m o m en t to m om ent, and it cannot be contam inated by
defilements, the adventitious dust. Why? Defilements are not in contact w ith the
mind; the m ind is not in contact w ith defilements. H o w can anything that is not in
contact w ith the m ind contaminate the m ind? Yet, W orld-H onored O ne, because
there are defilements there is a defiled m ind. It is extrem ely difficult to k n o w and
understand contam ination by defilements. O n ly the Buddha, the W orld-H onored
O ne, w ho is the eye, the wisdom, the root o f the D harm a, the guide, and the
foundation o f the true D harm a, can k n o w and see it as it is.”
Then the B uddha praised Q ueen Srimala, saying, “Splendid, splendid! Just
as you say, it is difficult to k n o w and understand h o w the intrinsically pure m ind
can be contam inated by defilements.
''Srimala, there are tw o things difficult to understand. W hat are the two?
First, the intrinsically pure m ind; second, the contam ination o f this m ind by defile­
ments. O n ly you and those Bodhisattvas w ho have already accomplished the
great D h arm a can accept these tw o things upon hearing o f them . The Sravakas can
understand th em only th ro ug h faith.
''Srimala, if m y disciples strengthen their faith and com ply w ith the D harm a-
w isdom , then they will reach the utm ost [understanding] o f this D harm a. C o m ­
pliance w ith the D h arm a-w isd o m means: contem plation o f the sense-organs, the
consciousnesses, and their objects; contem plation o f karm as and their results; con­
tem plation o f the dorm ant defilements o f the Arhats; contem plation o f the joy o f a
liberated m ind and the bliss o f meditation; and contem plation of the noble, m irac­
ulous pow ers o f the Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas. By accomplishing these five
skillful contem plations’ m y present and future Sravaka followers will’ because o f
their strengthened faith and their com pliance w ith the D harm a-w isdom , be able to
understand the intrinsically pure m ind and h o w it becomes contaminated by defile­
m ents. T hey will reach the utm o st [understanding o f this D harm a]. Srimala, the
u tm o st [understanding] is the cause o f the Mahayana.
“ N o w you should k n o w that he w h o has faith in the Tathagata does not
slander the profound D h a rm a .”
T hen Q ueen Srimala said to the Buddha, “ W orld-H onored O ne, there are
still other doctrines that will be o f great benefit. By the awesome, divine pow er of
the B uddha I will explain th e m .”
T h e B uddha said, “ Excellent! N o w speak all you w ish .”
Q ueen Srimala said, “There are three kinds o f good m en and w o m en w h o
can, w ith regard to the profound D harm a, avoid harm ing themselves, generate
num erous merits, and enter the path o f the M ahayana. W hat are the three? They
are: the good m en and w o m en w ho have by themselves attained the w isdom o f the
p rofound Dharm a; those w h o succeed in com plying w ith the D harm a-w isdom ;
and those w h o cannot understand the profound D harm a but fully rely on the
Tathagata, saying, ‘This is only k n o w n to the Buddha; it is not in m y d o m ain .，
“Aside fro m these three kinds o f good m en and w om en, other sentient
382 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

beings m ay take from the profound D harm a only w hat they like, cling to m istaken
interpretations, defy the true D harm a, or learn heterodox doctrines. W herever
these rotten seeds [i.e., w ro n g beliefs,] are, wc should go there and eliminate
them . All gods and hum ans should com bine their efforts to destroy these rotten
seeds.”
A fter Q ueen Srimala had thus spoken, she and her retinue bow ed down at
the feet of the Buddha.
T he B uddha th en praised Q u een Srlmala, saying, “It is wonderful, Srlmala,
that you can skillfully protect the profound D harm a and properly vanquish its
enemies. Bccausc you have already associated intimately w ith hundreds o f th o u ­
sands o f millions o f Buddhas, Tathagatas, you are able to explain this doctrine.”
T hen the W o rld-H onored O n e emanated a magnificent light illuminating the
entire assembly, and elevated him self into midair to the height o f seven palm trees.
Using his miraculous powers, he walked in the air and returned to the city o f
SravastT. M eanwhile, w ith o u t taking their eyes o ff the W orld-H onored O n e for an
instant, Q ueen Srlmala and her retinue gazed at him w ith adoration until he
passed out o f sight. T h e n they all danccd w ith jo y and exchanged praises o f
th e virtues o f th e Tathagata. Recollccting th e B uddha single-mindedly, they re­
turned to Ayodhya.
|W hen she had returned to the city, Srlmala] persuaded King M itraklrti32 to
establish the Mahayana [as the state religion]. She taught the Mahayana to all
females o f the city over seven years o f age, and King Mitraklrti taught the M ah a­
yana to males over seven; as a result, all the citizens o f the country, w ithout
exception, learned the Mahayana.
W hen the W orld-H onored O n e entered the Jeta Grove, he called the Venera­
ble A n a n d a . H e also s u m m o n e d th e k in g o f devas b y t h in k in g a b o u t h im . In
response to the B u d d h a’s su m m o n in g th o u g h t’ Sakra, the king o f devas, and his
retinue instantly appeared before the Buddha.
T h en the W orld-H onored O n e told Sakra the dcva king. "Kausika, you
should accept and uphold this sutra, explain it, and reveal it for the sake o f the
peace and happiness o f those w h o dwell in the Heaven o f the T h irty-T h ree.”
H e then told Ananda, "You, too, should acccpt and uphold this sutra and
explain it in detail to the four kinds o f devotees.”
Sakra, king o f devas, said to the Buddha, "W orld-H onored O ne, w hat
should w e call this sutra? H o w should w c uphold it?”
T he B uddha told the king o f devas, “This sutra has limitless merits. It is
beyond the pow er o f all Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, let alone other sentient
beings. Kausika, you should understand that this sutra is very profound and subtle
and is a great am assm ent o f merits. I shall n o w tell you briefly its names. Listen
carcfully! Listen carcfully and think well about it.”
Thereupon, Sakra, king o f devas, and the Venerable Ananda said to the
Buddha. “Yes, W orld-H onored One. We shall accept your teaching.”
The B uddha said, “This sutra is called ‘Acclamation of the T athagata^ T rue
V irtues，’and should be upheld accordingly.
 T he T rue L i o n ’s R o a r of Q ueen S r i m Al A 383

“It is also callcd ‘A Discourse on the Ten Inconccivablc V o w s,’ and should
be upheld accordingly.
“It is also callcd ‘A Discourse on the O n e Great V o w That Com prises All
V o w s,’ and should be upheld accordingly.
“It is also callcd ‘A Discourse on the Inconccivablc Em bracing o f the T rue
D h a rm a ,’ and should be upheld accordingly.
“It is also callcd ‘A Discourse on the Entry into the O ne Vchiclc,，and should
be upheld accordingly.
“It is also callcd ‘A Discourse on the Boundless T ru th ，’and should be upheld
accordingly.
“It is also called ‘A Discourse on the T athagata-em bryo,' and should be
upheld accordingly.
“It is also callcd ‘A Discourse on the B u d d h a’s D h arm a-b o d y ,5 and should be
upheld accordingly.
“It is also callcd ‘A Discourse on the H idden Reality in the Doctrinc o f
E m ptiness，’and should be upheld accordingly.
“It is also callcd ‘A Discourse on the O n e T ru th ,’ and should be upheld
accordingly.
“It is also callcd ‘A Discourse on the One, Ever-abiding, Immovable, and
Q uiet R efuge， ’ and should be upheld accordingly.
“It is also callcd ‘A Discourse on Inversion and Reality，’and should be upheld
accordingly.
“It is also callcd ‘A Discourse on the Intrinsically Pure M ind W rapped in
D efilem ents，，and should be upheld accordingly.
“It is also called ‘A Discourse on the T rue Sons o f the T ath a g a ta/ and should
be upheld accordingly.
“It is also callcd ‘A Discourse on the T rue Lion's Roar o f Q ueen Srlm ala/
and should be upheld accordingly.
“M oreover, Kausika, this siitra’s teaching resolves all doubts; it is the defini­
tive, ultim ate teaching, the w ay to the O n e Vchiclc. Kausika, I n o w entrust you
with this lSutra o f the Lion's Roar o f Q ueen Srlmala.5 Reveal and explain it to the
beings in the ten directions as long as the Dharm a endures.”
Sakra, the king o f devas, said, ‘‘Yes, W orld-H onored One. Wc will follow
your instructions.”
Then, hearing w hat the Buddha had said, Sakra, the king o f devas. the
Venerable A n a n d a , and all the gods, humans, asuras, gandharvas, and others m the
assembly were jubilant. T hey acccptcd the sutra w ith faith and began to practicc it
w ith veneration.
384 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

notes

1. T h e other extant Chinese version o f this sutra, translated from the Sanskrit by
G unabhadra (Taisho 353 ， p. 217) ，reads: “Wc should pro m p tly send her a letter to arouse her
th o u g h t o f b o d h i .” Sincc it is the letter w h ic h is e loq u en t, n o t th e m essen g er, this rea d ing
m a y be preferable.
2. This line can also be translated as: “If what is said |in the letter] is true. . . . ”
3. Literally, “All dharm as eternally abide.” A ccording to The Record of a Discourse on
the Srimahi Sutra ( 險 鬉 夫 人 經 講 記 )，by Vcn. Yin Shun (Taipei, 1970), p. 36, this refers to
all the physical and m e n ta l attributes o f the T ath ag a ta, w hic h arc an acc u m u latio n o f m erits.
4. Killing, stealing, sexual m isconduct, and lying. H ere the viccs o f the b o d y arc
in te rp re te d in a b ro a d sense, and includc the vicc o f spccch, i.e. lying. In a m o r e detailed
classification, the vicc oT spccch is separated tr o m the viccs o f the b o d y and e x p a n d e d into
fo u r items: lying, slander, harsh speech, and frivolous chatter. T h e s e four, c o m b in e d w ith
the u n w h o l e s o m e actions o f m in d and b o d y , fo rm th e ten evil deeds. Sec N u m e ric a l G lossary.
5. See Glossary, “true D h a rm a .”
6. Ancicnt B uddhist cosm ology holds that in a billion-world universe there arc ten bil­
lion M o u n t Sumerus, each surrounded by four continents. Hence “the forty billion continents.”
7. H ere the text is obscure. This is a free, extrem ely interpretive translation.
8. A n alternative translation based on Gunabhadra's version (Taisho 353 ，p. 219). reads:

By |continually] giving their bodies until the end o f saiiisara, these people
w ill be free f ro m old age a n d sickncss, a n d w ill attain th e T a th ag a ta's D h a r m a -
b o d y , w h i c h is indcstructiblc, p e r m a n e n t, chan gclcss, u ltim ate ly tran q uil, a n d in ­
c on cciv ablc. Hy |con tim m llyl g iv in g their lives until the e n d o f saiiisara, th ey will
be fore v er released f ro m death; will attain infinite, eternal, in conceivable m erits; and
will sccu rcly abide in all the B u d d h a - D h a r m a s and m ira c u lo u s p o w e rs. By [c o n ­
tinually] g iv in g their possessions u n til th e e n d o f sariisara, th ey w ill attain endless,
u n d im in is h in g , perfect k a rm ic results; w ill acquirc in conceivablc m erits a n d s p le n ­
d o rs surpassing th ose o f others; and w ill be h o n o r e d and served b y o th e r sen tient
beings.

9. G unabhadra's version reads “the faction o f the D h a rm a ,11 instead o f ‘‘the goo d
faction ."
10. Skt. mannati. A m arm a n is a spot on the body, a slight touch on which may causc
g reat pain o r result in death. A c c o rd in g to different sourccs, there arc either 64 o r 120 such
spots; M . M onier-W illiam s, Safiskrit-Eti^lish Dictionary, (O xford, 1899) p. 791，gives their
number as 107.
11 • L ake A navatapta is a lake in Buddhist a n d H indu cosm ology, north o f th e Snow
M o u n ta in a n d s o u th o f th e F rag ran t M o u n ta in . T h e e ight rivers arc: G an g es, Indus, O x u s ,
Sita. J u m n a , Saravasti(?), H ira n y a v a tl o r AjiravatT, a n d Mahi(?). S o m e tim e s o nly the first
fou r arc m e n tio n e d .
12. I.e., k now ledge o f the four noble truths.
13. T he m ind-created b ody refers to those w h o have been released from ordinary birth
and death, and can ap p e ar in any fo r m at w ill w ith o u t b ein g subject to the lim itatio n s o f tim e
and space.
 T he T ru e Lion's R o a r of Queen SrimAlA 385
14. Bodhisattvas o f the seventh or eighth stage, w h o have attained the Realization o f
the N onarising o f D h a rm as. T here are other interpretations. See V en. Y in Shun, op. cit., pp.
152-3
15. T h e four underlying defilements m entioned below.
16. T h e seven grades o f learners arc: those w h o arc approaching the fruit o f a stream -
entcrcr, and those w h o have obtained it; those w h o arc approaching the fruit o f a once-
returncr, and those w h o have obtained it; those w h o arc approaching the fruit o f a n o n ­
returner, and those w h o have obtained it; and those w h o arc approaching the fruit o f one
beyond learning, i.e., an Arhat.
17. T h e activc defilements are the unw holesom e m ental functions such as lust, anger,
e tc ., w hich arise w h e n the m ind stirs.
18. W e are conscious o f the activc defilements arising from m o m e n t to m o m ent,
whereas underlying ignorance, which serves as a “store” or basis for other dctilcm cnts, is
very subtle and deeply inherent, so the ordinary m ind is not aware o f its cxistcncc. This is
presum ably the m eaning here. T h e text reads “the underlying defilement o f ignorance never
arises in concom itance w ith the m in d from bcginninglcss tim e .” This implies that sincc
bcginninglcss time, w hen the m ind arises, ignorance is latent, n ot activc; therefore, a sentient
being is n ot conscious o f it.
19. In the text, “m ore num erous than the sands o f the G anges’，seems to m odify
‘e n lig h ten m e n t，
，not Mcfilcmcnts'.
20. T h e text reads in full: “all the defilements, m ore num erous than the sands o f the
Ganges, which should be cut o ff by the Tathagata's enlightenm ent and the B uddha's dia-
m ondlikc w isdom . . . . ”
21. Literally, “H e will realize the unobstructed m iraculous po w e rs w ith regard to all
dharm as. ”
22. See Glossary, “T a t h ^ a t a - c m b r y o .”
23. Alternative translation: “Becausc the cessation of suffering means the emergence of
the pure original nature from the shell o f defilements. This nature has n o beginning, no
action, no origination, no end, and is ever-abiding and immovable.
24. T ath ag ata-em bryo is som etim es translated as the ‘w o m b o f the T ath ag ata ，， or
‘treasure o f the T athag ata ，；that is to say, there is a complete, perfect B uddha-naturc within
every sentient being. It cannot manifest itself due to the covering o f defilements. W hen one
attains suprem e enlightenm ent, the T athag ata-cm bryo is no m ore. It manifests in full T a-
thagatahood.
25. ‘K n o w le d g e ，，here, and in other passages, can also be rendered ‘w is d o m ，
. In m any
cases, 'w isd o m ' is a better translation. H ow ev e r, in order to make the translation uniform ,
w c use ‘k n o w le d g e ’ here.
26. G unabhadra's version (Taisho 353, p. 222) seems to be better and deeper. It reads:
“If one sees all p henom ena as im perm anent, his is a nihilistic view, not the right \-icw. If one
sees nirvana as perm anent, his is an eternalistic view, not the right view.
27. This sentcncc is a free translation; the text is obscurc.
28. ‘Perfection，here translates paramita.
29. W e usually translate 化 生 as ‘ethereally b o rn ，w h e n it refers to an actual birth
in a heaven, a P u re Land, ctc. H ow ever, here it is used allegorically, so w c use ‘bo rn
m iraculously，.
30. For these two paragraphs w e follow entirely the reading o f G unabhadra's version
(Taisho 353, p. 222); the original text is extrem ely obscure.
386 O n G eneral M a h a y a n a D o c tr in e

31. H ere is an im p o rtant statem ent indicating that w ithin every h u m an being there is
B uddha-nature, w hich gives rise to religious aspiration, i.e., th e quest for perfection and
ultim ate m eaning in life. This B u d d ha -nature is called here the ‘T ath ag ata-e m b ry o ，
.
32. P re su m a b ly Q u e e n Srimala's husband.
 20 普明菩薩會

The Su tra of Assembled Treasures

T h u s h av e I heard. O nce the Buddha was dwelling o n M o u n t G rdhrakuta near

Rajagrha, accompanied by eight thousand great m onks. Also in the assembly were
sixteen thousand Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas from various Buddha-lands, all o f w h o m
had attained the stage o f nonregression and w ere destined for suprem e enlighten­
m ent in their next lives.
That day, the W orld-H onored O ne told Mahakasyapa, “Four things cause a
B odhisattva’s w isdom to decrease or be lost. What are the four?
(1) T o disrespect the D h arm a or D harm a-m asters;
(2) to w ithhold the profound D h arm a he has acquired instead o f disclosing it
fully;
(3) to hinder those w h o rejoice in the D harm a by giving them reasons to
despair; and
(4) to be arrogant and conccitcd, and to disdain o thers.1
Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, four things cause a Bodhisattva to gain great wis­
dom. W hat are the four?
(1) A lways to respect the D harm a and revere D harm a-m asters;
(2) to preach widely w hatever D harm a he has learned, w ith a pure m ind not
in pursuit o f fame or profi t;
(3) to k now that wisdom arises from m uch learning, and to pursue learning
w ith such constant, urgent effort as if to save his head from fire; and
(4) to recite the sutras he has learned, and practice cheerfully as instructed,
w ithout becom ing entangled in words.

Sutra 43, Taisho 310 ，pp. 631-638; translated into C hinese by an ano n y m o u s translator.
388 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, four things causc a Bodhisattva to lose his b o d h i­

citta. W hat are the four?
(1) T o deceive his tcacher and pay no respect to the sutras he has been taught;
(2) to cause unw arran ted doubt or regret in others;
(3) to revile and slander those w h o seek the M ahayana, thus defaming them
far and wide; and
(4) to be fawning and crooked in dealing w ith people.

“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, four things enable a Bodhisattva to retain his bo ­

dhicitta from one lifetime to another, so that it will always be naturally present in
him until his attainment o f B uddhahood. W hat are the four?
(1) N o t to lie even w h en his life is at stake, m uch less in jest;
(2) always to deal w ith people sinccrcly and honestly, w ith o u t flattery or
crookedness;
(3) to think o f Bodhisattvas as W orld-H onored Ones, and to extol their names
in all the four directions; and
(4) not to enjoy the H lnayana doctrines, but [instead] to cause all w h o believe
in the D harm a to pursue suprem e bodhi.

“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, four things cause the w holesom e practices culti­
vated by a Bodhisattva to stop increasing or to ccasc. W hat arc the four?
(1) T o read, rccitc, and study the secular scripturcs out o f arrogance;
(2) to approach a d o n o r w ith a m ind lusting for material gains;
(3) to resent and slander other Bodhisattvas; and
(4); to discredit and contradict sutras which he has not heard before.

“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, four things cause the w holesom e practices culti­
vated by a Bodhisattva to g ro w instead o f ceasing. W hat arc the four?
(1) T he Bodhisattva rejects heterod o x doctrincs and seeks the o rth o d o x scrip­
tures— such as those on the six paramitas, w hich constitute the Bodhi­
sattva^ canon— and w hen doing so, casts aw ay arrogance and remains
hum ble tow ard all sentient beings.
(2) H e rcccivcs offerings in accordance w ith the D harm a, is content w ith
w h at he obtains, does not earn a livelihood in im p ro p er ways, and abides
in the four noble practiccs.
(3) H e does not expose others ，w rongdoings, w hether they are true or not,
and does not look for people’s shortcom ings.
(4) W hen he finds so m e [Buddhist] doctrines incomprehensible, he thinks,
‘T h e B u ddha-D harm a has infinite varieties, for it is preached according to
the inclinations o f sentient beings. It is k n o w n to the Buddha only, not to
me. I should defer to the B uddha as the certifying authority and not
harbor disobedience or opposition .，
 T he Su tra of A ssem bled T reasures 389

“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, a Bodhisattva m ust shun four w ro n g mentalities.2

W hat are the four?
(1) T o h arb o r dou b ts about the B u ddha-D harm a or to regret [having accepted
it |；
(2) to be resentful and arrogant tow ard sentient beings;
(3) to be jealous o f others for their gains and good living; and
(4) to [wish to] revile other Bodhisattvas and defame them far and wide.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, four signs indicate a Bodhisattva’s right m entality.3
W hat are the four?
(1) T he Bodhisattva does n o t hide his transgressions, but exposes th em to
others so that his m ind is free from covcrs and bonds.
(2) H e never speaks false w o rd s even if he loses his o w n body, life, country,
or kingdom .
(3) W hen he encounters misfortunes, being scolded, beaten, slandered, bound,
or otherw ise injured, he blames him self only; resigning him self to karm ic
retribution, he does not hate others.4
(4) H e maintains his faith firmly; when he hears the B uddha-D harm a w hich is
profound and difficult to believe, his p u re m in d can accept and u p h o ld it
entirely.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, four signs indicate a Bodhisattva’s corruption. W hat
are the four?
(1) After reading a scripturc, a corrupted Bodhisattva indulges in play-words,
instead o f practicing in accordance w ith the D harm a.
(2) H e does n o t obey, rcspcct, or gladden his masters.
(3) H e wastes devotees’ offerings by accepting them even when he has broken
his form er vows.
(4) H e is contem ptuous and disrespectful to w ard virtuous Bodhisattvas.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, four signs indicate a Bodhisattva’s willing co m ­
pliance. W hat are the four?
(1) T h e Bodhisattva faithfully acccpts a sutra the first tim e he hears it, and
practices it as taught, relying on the doctrine rather th an on the w ords.
(2) H e follows his m aster’s instructions, k n o w s his intention, and speaks with
him openly; everything he does is in harm ony w ith virtue and his m aster’s
intention.
(3) H e never regresses in discipline or dhyana, and accepts offerings w ith a
m ind well subdued.
(4) W hen he secs a virtuous Bodhisattva, he respccts him, adm ires him, and
emulates his virtuous deeds.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, there are four mistakes that a Bodhisattva m ay
make. W hat are the four?
390 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

(1) T o com ply w ith an u n trustw orthy person;

(2) to prcach a profound doctrinc to a sentient being w h o is incapable o f
accepting it;
(3) to praise the Hlnayana am o n g those w h o rejoice in the M ahayana; and
(4) to give only to virtuous precept-keepers, n ot to wicked people.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, there arc four right paths for a Bodhisattva. W hat
are the four?
(1) T o treat all sentient beings impartially;
(2) to teach all sentient beings impartially [on the basis o f the] B u d d h a ’s
wisdom;
(3) to preach the D harm a to all sentient beings w ith o u t discrimination; and
(4) to causc all sentient beings to abide in right action equally.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, there arc four kinds o f people w h o are not good
friends or com panions for a Bodhisattva. W hat arc the four?
(1) Sravakas, w h o desire only to benefit themselves;
(2) Pratyckabuddhas, w ho enjoy having few things to attend to;
(3) the w orldly scholars, w h o study heterodox scriptures and indulge in flow ­
ery literature; and
(4) associates w ho can only increase his w orldly acquisitions, not his acquisi­
tion o f the D harm a.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, there are four kinds o f people w h o are good friends
and com panions for a Bodhisattva. W hat are the four?
(1) T hose w h o call upon a Bodhisattva for help are his good friends, bccause
they cause him to walk upon the B u dd h a’s path.
(2) T hose who can expound the D harm a are his good friends, because they
spread w isdom .
(3) T h o se w h o can persuade others to rcnouncc the household life are his
goo d friends, because th ey can increase [othcrs,J virtues.
(4) All the Buddhas, the W orld-H onored O nes, arc his good friends, because
they cause all B uddha-D harm as to gro w and thrive.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, there are four kinds o f people w h o m ay appear to
be Bodhisattvas but actually are not. What are the four?
(1) T hose w h o lust for material gains instead o f seeking the D harm a;
(2) those w h o w ish to acquire fame instead o f virtues;
(3) those w h o seek their o w n happiness and do not show other sentient beings
the path to the cessation o f suffering; and
(4) those w h o enjoy the com pany o f many^disciples and dislike detachm ent
and scclusion.
 T he Sutra of A ssembled T rhasurhs 391

“ Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, there arc four kinds o f true Bodhisattvas. W hat are
the four?
(1) T h o se w h o not only understand and believe in emptiness, but also believe
in karmic retribution;3
(2) those who k n o w that all dharm as are devoid o f self-entity, but who still
have great compassion for sentient beings;6
(3) those who deeply chcrish nirvana, but continue to roam in sariisara ；and
(4) those w h o practice giving for the benefit o f sentient beings, w ithout seek­
ing any reward.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, a Bodhisattva has four great treasures. W hat are the
four?
(1) E ncountering Buddhas;
(2) hearing the six paramitas and the elucidation o f their meaning;
(3) regarding a D h arm a-m astcr w ith an unobstructed mind; and
(4) being inclined to the unrem itting practice o f renunciation.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, four things enable a Bodhisattva to transccnd devil­
ish hindrances.7 W hat are the four?
(1) N ev er to be apart from bodhicitta;
(2) to harbor no ill feelings against sentient beings;
(3) to be aware o f every kind o f know ledge and view; and
(4) never to despise or belittle any sentient being.
"Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, four things enable a Bodhisattva to accumulatc good
roots. W hat arc the four?
(1) T o avoid a w rong mentality w hen in solitude;
(2) to practice the four inducem ents am ong sentient beings w ithout expecting
any reward;
(3) to pursue the D harm a vigorously, even at the cost o f his life; and
(4) to cultivate num erous good roots w ithout satiety.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, a Bodhisattva has four adornm ents [causing] im ­
measurable blessings.8 W hat are the four?
(1) T o teach the D harm a w ith a pure mind;
(2) to have great compassion for those w h o break the preccpts;
(3) to extol bodhicitta am ong sentient beings; and
(4) to practice patience w hen insulted by the lowly and inferior.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, a [true] Bodhisattva is not a Bodhisattva in nam e
only. O n e w h o can practice w holesom e dharm as and has a m ind o f equality is
callcd a Bodhisattva. Briefly speaking, o n e w h o accomplishes thirty-tw o things is
called a Bodhisattva. W hat arc the thirty-two?
392 O n G en e ra l M a h a y a n a D o c trin e

T o aspire to bring sentient beings pcacc and happiness;

to enable all sentient beings to abide in all-know ing wisdom;
((((((

not to resent others ，wisdom;

to shatter o n e’s o w n haughtiness and arrogancc;
to take deep pleasure in the B u ddha’s path;
to love and rcspcct all sentient beings sinccrcly;
to remain thoroughly kind to friends and foes alike up to o n e’s attain­
m ent o f nirvana;
( (

always to speak with a smile and be the first to offer greetings;

never to stop halfway through in perform ing a task;
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

to extend great compassion equally to all sentient beings;

to seek extensive learning untiringly and insatiably;
to look for o n e’s o w n faults, but not to speak o f others’ shortcomings;
to be inspired by bodhicitta in every aspect o f one’s behavior;
to practicc giving w ithout expecting anything in return;9
to observe the discipline, but not for the purpose o f a higher rebirth;
to practice paticncc w ith an unim peded m ind am ong sentient beings;
to strive w ith vigor to cultivate all good roots;
12 2222 2

to practicc m editation w ithout aspiring to rebirth in the realm o f form ­

lessness;
to apply the w isdom o f skillful means;
to practicc the four inducements;
句2 习

to be equally kind to both good and evil sentient beings;

2

to listen to the D harm a singlc-mindcdly;

to remain detached in mind;
2
^ 3
2-
乃

not to indulge in w orldly affairs;

not to enjoy the Hinayana, but always to see great benefit in the M a­
3

8)
s^

o ) hayana;
o

to avoid bad friends and associate with good ones;

^ '

2)
to accomplish the four immeasurables and achievc total co m m an d o f the
4 ) five m iraculous powers;
6

5)
always to rely on the true wisdom ;
not to forsake any sentient beings, w hether their actions are right or
⑴

7)

^ ) w rong;
o

always to discourse w ith decisiveness;

”p

to value the tru e D harm a; and

Gv

2) to dcdicatc all one’s deeds to bodhi.

Ka>vapa, if a person fulfills these thirty-tw o things, he is callcd a Bodhisattva.

"Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, the virtues o f a Bodhisattva are innum erable and
they can only be illustrated by parables and similes.
"Kas\-apa, just as the great earth, used by all sentient beings, does not
 T he S u t r a of A ssem b led T re a s u re s 393

discriminate or seek rewards, so a Bodhisattva benefits all sentient beings from the
time he engenders bodhicitta until the time he attains B uddhahood, but does not
discriminate or seek rewards.
tlKasyapa, just as the element w ater causes all kinds o f grains, medicinal
herbs, and trees to grow , so a Bodhisattva, bccausc his m ind is pure, extends his
kindness and com passion to all sentient beings and causcs all w holesom e dharm as
to grow.
tlKasyapa, ju st as the elem ent fire ripens all grains and fruits, so a Bodhi-
sattva’s w isdom ripens all w holesom e dharmas.
tlKasyapa, just as the elem ent air causes the form ation o f all the worlds, so a
B odhisattva’s ingenuity causcs the form ation o f all the B uddha-D harm as.
tlKasyapa, ju st as the brilliance and size o f a new m o o n increase from day to
day, so all the w holesom e dharmas in a B odhisattva’s pure m ind g row from day to
day.
tlKasyapa, ju st as the light o f the rising sun simultaneously illuminates all
sentient beings, so a Bodhisattva’s light o f w isdom sim ultaneously illuminates all
sentient beings.
“KaSyapa，ju st as th e lion, the king o f beasts, is fearless w herever it goes, so
a Bodhisattva, being flawless in keeping the precepts and en d o w ed w ith true
w isdom , is fearless w herever he dwells.
tlKasyapa, ju st as a well-trained, huge elephant can perform great feats w ith ­
out tiring, so a Bodhisattva, due to his w ell-subdued m ind, can yield great benefits
to sentient beings w ithout feeling w eary at heart.
tlKasyapa, just as the lotus grow s in m u d d y w ater but is not soiled by the
mud, so a Bodhisattva lives in the world, but is unsullied by worldly things.
tlKasyapa, after a tree is felled, its stum p will continue to gro w as long as its
root remains. In the sam e way, after a Bodhisattva has severed the knots o f
defilement, he still takes rebirth in the three realms by the p o w e r o f his ingenuity,
becausc he retains his intrinsic love [for sentient beings].
tlKasyapa, ju st as the streams flowing from all directions assume a uniform
taste w hen they jo in the ocean, so the num erous good roots accumulated in differ­
ent w ays by a Bodhisattva bccom e uniform in taste10 w hen they are dedicated to the
attainment o f supreme enlightenm ent.
tlKasyapa, just as M o u n t Sumeru, the king o f mountains, is the dwelling-
place o f the gods o f the H eaven o f the T hirty-T hree and the Heaven o f the Four
Deva Kings, so the B odhisattva’s bodhicitta is the basis o f all-know ing w isdom .
tlKasyapa, ju st as the king o f a large country can administer state affairs w ith
the assistance o f his ministers, so a B o d hisattva’s w isdom can accomplish all the
B u d d h a’s undertakings w ith the p o w e r o f ingenuity.
tlKasyapa, ju st as a sunny sky w ithout a speck o f cloud is a sure sign that
there will be no rain, so a Bodhisattva w h o has learned little will show no sign o f
a D harm a-rain.
394 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

tlKasyapa, ju st as a dark, cloudy sky will inevitably produce rain to fulfill the
needs o f sentient beings, so a Bodhisattva produces a heavy D h arm a-rain from the
cloud o f great compassion, for the benefit o f sentient beings.11
tlKasyapa, ju st as the seven treasures appear w herever a universal m onarch
appears, so the thirty-seven w ays to enlightenm ent appear in the w orld w henever a
Bodhisattva appears.
tlKasyapa, ju st as there is an infinite quantity o f gold, silver, and precious
gem s w h erev er a wish-fulfilling pearl is found, so there are infinite num bers o f
Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas w herever a Bodhisattva appears.
tlKasyapa, w h en the gods o f the H eaven o f the T hirty-T hree enter the G ar­
den o f Equality, all the things they use are the same; similarly, a Bodhisattva, with
his truly pure m ind, teaches all sentient beings equally.
tlKasyapa, ju st as poisons can be rendered harmless by charms and antidotes,
so the poison o f defilements is rendered harmless to a Bodhisattva by the po w er o f
his wisdom, and does not causc him to fall to the miserable planes o f existence.
Kasyapa, ju st as the excrem ent and garbage discarded by the people living
in big cities will yield benefits w hen placed in vineyards and sugarcane fields, so
the residual defilements o f a Bodhisattva will yield benefits because they are con­
ducive to all-know ing w isd o m .12
“M oreover, Kasyapa, a Bodhisattva w h o wishes to learn this Sutra o f As­
sem bled Treasures should constantly cultivate the right insight into all dharmas.
W hat is the right insight? It is to think o f all dharm as as they really are. The true,
right insight means not to see a self, a personal identity, a sentient being, or a life.
T h is is called the m iddle w a y ,13 the true, right insight.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, true insight m eans to regard form s as neither per­
manent n o r im perm anent; to regard feelings, conceptions, impulses, and conscious­
ness as neither perm anent nor imperm anent. This is callcd the middle way, the
true, right insight.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, true insight means to regard the element earth as
neither perm anent n o r im perm anent, and to regard the elements water, fire, and
air as neither perm anent n o r im perm anent. T his is called the m iddle way, the true,
right insight.
“W hy? Perm anence is one extreme, im perm anence is the other, and [the
tw o-in-one of] pcrm anence-im perm anence is the middle, w hich is formless, shape­
less, incognizable, and unknowable. [To realize] it is called the middle way, the
true insight into all dharmas.
“E go is one extrem e, egolessness is the other, and [the tw o-in-one of]
ego-egolessness is the middle, w hich is formless, shapeless, incognizable, and u n ­
knowable. [To realize] it is called the m iddle way, the true insight into all dharmas.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, [to regard] the m ind as real is one extreme; [to
regard] it as unreal is the other. [To realize] that there is no m ind or mental
function is called the middle way, the true insight into all dharmas.
“T h e sam e is true o f the dharm as w hich are w holesom e and unw holesom e,
 T he S u t r a of A ssem b led T re a s u r e s 395

m undane and supramundane, sinful and not sinful, afflictive and nonafflictive,
conditioned and unconditioned, defiled and undefiled. T hat w hich is apart from
the tw o extrem es cannot be felt14 or expressed. [To realize] it is called the middle
way, the true insight into all dharmas.
‘‘Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, existence is one extrem e, noncxistencc is the other,
and that w hich falls on neither extrem e is formless, shapeless, incognizable, and
unknow able. [To realize] it is callcd the m iddle way, the true insight into all
dharmas.
“ N ext, Kasyapa, there is a doctrinc I have expounded, namely, the twelve
links o f dependent origination: on ignorance depend actions; on actions depends
consciousness; on consciousncss depend nam e and form; on nam e and form de­
pend the six senses; on the six senses depends contact; on contact depends feeling;
on feeling depends craving; on craving depends grasping; on grasping depends
becoming; on becom ing depends birth; on birth depend old age, death, w orry,
sorrow , misery, and distress. These links o f dependent origination are nothing but
a great mass o f suffering. If ignorance ccases, actions cease; if actions cease, con­
sciousness ceases; if consciousness ccases, nam e and form ceasc; if name and form
ccasc, the six senses cease; if the six senses cease, contact ceascs; if contact ccases,
feeling ceases; if feeling ceases, craving ceases, if craving ccascs, grasping ceases; if
grasping ceascs, becom ing ceases; if becom ing ceases, birth ceascs; if birth ccases,
then old age, death, w orry, sorrow, distress, and the w hole mass o f suffering
altogether cease.
“[Concerning the tw elve links o f dependent origination,] ignorance, [or not
know ing], and w isdom , [or know ing], arc one and the same. T o understand this is
callcd the m iddle w ay, the tru e insight into all dharmas. In like manner, actions
and nonactions, consciousncss and the objccts o f consciousness, the perceptible and
the imperceptible aspects o f nam e and form, the six senses and the six miraculous
powers, contact and objects o f contact, feeling and its cessation, craving and its
cessation, grasping and its cessation, becom ing and its cessation, birth and its
cessation, old age and death and their cessation— all these arc one and the same. To
understand this is callcd the middle way, the true insight into all dharmas.
“N ext, Kasyapa, to one w h o has the true insight, things arc em pty, not
bccause one contemplates them as em pty; they are em p ty by nature. Things are
signless, not bccause one contem plates them as signless; they are signless in th em ­
selves. Things are u nsought,15 not becausc one contemplates them as unsought; they
arc unsought in themselves. Things are devoid o f origination, arising, entity, and
self-nature; they are impossible to grasp, not because one contem plates them as
such; they are so in themselves. This understanding is called the true insight.
“Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, personal identity is em pty, not bccausc one thinks
there is no personal identity; it is em pty in itself. It was em pty in the past; it will be
em pty in the future; and it is em pty at present. Therefore, one should rely on
emptiness, not on personal identity.
“H ow ever, if one thinks that he has realized emptiness and becomcs attached
396 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

to emptiness, then he regresses in the pursuit o f the B uddha-D harm a. Thus, Ka­
syapa, it is better for one to take a view o f the self as massive as M o u n t Sum eru
than to take a view o f em ptiness and becom e arrogant. W hy? Bccause all views can
be eliminated by emptiness, but if one gives rise to the view o f emptiness, there is
no w ay to do away w ith it.16
tlKasyapa, if a physician gives his patient some mcdicine to purge an illness,
but the m edicine stays in the body instead o f being discharged, w hat do you think?
Will the patient get better?”
“N o, W orld -H o n o red O ne. T he p atient’s illness will becom e w orse if the
medicine is not discharged.”
“In like m anner, Kasyapa, all views can be eliminated b y emptiness, but the
view o f emptiness cannot be eradicated.
“Suppose a person is afraid o f em pty space and wails in grief and pounds his
chest, saying, ‘I w an t to cscape from em pty space!，W hat do you think? C an one
escape from em pty space?”
“N o , W orld -H o n ored O n e .”
“Similarly ，Kasyapa, if a person is afraid o f the doctrine o f emptiness, I say
he is crazy and has lost his mind. W hy do I say so? Bccause he is always in
em ptiness, and yet is afraid o f it.
“Just as a painter paints a picture o f dem ons and then faints at the sight o f his
o w n creation, so ordinary people fabricate forms, sounds, odors, tastes, and tex­
tures, and then w ander in sarhsara af flicting themselves w ith all kinds o f suffering
w ithout kn o w ing it.
“Just as a magician produces an illusory being and then is devoured by it, so
a m o n k w h o follows the path engenders the view that all dharm as are em pty, still,
and insubstantial; and then he, the view er, is also voided [by this view ].17
''Kasyapa, ju st as fire produced by rubbing two picccs o f w o o d together will
bu rn up w ood, so, Kasyapa, the sacred w isdom born o f true insight will burn up
true insight.
“W hen a lamp is lit, the darkness completely vanishes. T he darkness goes
n o w h ere, ju st as it comes from now here— it docs not go to or com e from the east,
the south, the west, the north, the four intermediate directions, the zenith, or the
nadir. Furtherm ore, the lamplight does not think. “I can dispel darkness,，though
it is becausc o f the light that the darkness vanished. B oth light and darkness are
em pty, inert, and impossible to grasp. Similarly, Kasyapa, once true w isdom
arises, ignorance ends. B oth w isdom and ignorancc are em pty, inert, and im pos­
sible to grasp.
tlKasyapa, suppose a ro o m has been totally dark for a thousand years and
th en a lamp is lit therein. D o you suppose the darkness will think to itself, ‘I have
lived here for a long tim e and do not w ant to g o ’？’，
“N o, W orld-H onored O ne. W hen the lam p is lit, th e darkness will be p o w ­
erless. Even if it should refuse to go, it w ould surely be dispelled.”
“In the same way, Kasyapa, w ith one true insight, all the defilements and
 T h e SOtr a of A ssembled T reasures 397

karmas accumulated through hundreds o f thousands o f millions o f kalpas can be

eradicated. T he lam plight stands for the sacred w isdom ; the darkness stands for the
defi lements and karmas.
“T o illustrate, Kasyapa, it is absolutely impossible for a seed to g ro w in
midair. Likewise, it is impossible for a Bodhisattva to develop the B uddha-
D harm a if he clings to his realization [of emptiness]. Kasyapa, ju st as a seed
sprouts w hen so w n in a fertile field, so, Kasyapa, the B u d d h a-D h a rm a grow s
w h en a Bodhisattva dwells am ong defilements and involves him self in w orldly
things ，
"Kasyapa, just as a lotus flower cannot g ro w in high, d ry land, so the
B u d d h a-D h arm a cannot g ro w in a Bodhisattva w h o stays in [the realm of] the
unconditioned. Kasyapa, ju st as a lotus flower grow s in a low, wet, m uddy land,
so the B uddha-D harm a g ro w s only w hen a Bodhisattva stays in the m ire o f sariisara
am ong those in the group convinced by heterodox teachings.19
"Kasyapa, the quantity o f a Bodhisattva’s conditioned good roots is like the
quantity of cream sufficient to fill the four great oceans, while the quantity of a
Sravaka's g ood roots is like a tiny droplet from that ocean suspended from a
hundredth part o f a hair.
"Kasyapa, a Sravaka's conditioned w isdom is like the space inside a tiny
m ustard seed. Kasyapa, a B o d hisattva’s conditioned w isd o m 20 is like the im m ea­
surable, boundless spacc throughout the ten directions, and its p o w e r is infinite.
"Kasyapa, suppose the wife o f a ksatriya ruler bears the child o f a poor,
low ly man. W hat do you think? Will the child be a prince?”
“N o , W o rld -H o n o red O n e .”
“In the sam e way, Kasyapa, although m y Sravaka disciples [and the B odhi­
sattvas] both realize the D harm a-nature and are born o f it, Sravakas are not called
the true sons o f the Tathagata.
"Kasyapa, if a ksatriya ruler has a child w ith his m aidservant o f lo w caste,
the child m ay be called a prince. Similarly, though a novice Bodhisattva is not
fully equipped w ith m erits or w isdom , w anders in samsara, and can only benefit
sentient beings w ithin the limits o f his [meager] power, he is still called a true son
o f the Tathagata.
ltKa«yapa, if a universal m onarch has a thousand sons, but not one o f them
bears the characteristics o f a universal m onarch, the m onarch will not consider any
o f th em as heir to the throne. Similarly, if a Tathagata is surrounded by hundreds
o f thousands o f millions o f Sravakas, but no Bodhisattvas, he will not consider any
o f them as his true son.
"Kasyapa, suppose the wife o f a universal m onarch is pregnant for seven
days w ith a son w h o is already endow ed w ith all the characteristics o f a universal
monarch. This son will be rcspccted by gods m ore than other, g ro w n sons [who
lack those characteristics]. W hy? Because this em bryo prince will som eday inherit
the throne and perpetuate the lineage o f the universal monarch. Similarly, K a­
syapa, th o u g h a novice Bodhisattva does not yet fully possess the qualities o f a
398 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

Bodhisattva, he will, as in the case o f the em bryo prince, be m ore deeply honored
by gods and spirits than great Arhats w h o have achieved the eightfold liberation.
W hy? Because such a Bodhisattva is heir to the suprem e th ro ne [of the Tathagata]
and will perpetuate the Buddha-lincagc.
tlKasyapa, ju st as one bead o f lapis lazuli is w o rth m ore than ordinary crystal
beads piled as high as M o u n t Sumeru, so a Bodhisattva, even w hen he first brings
forth bodhicitta, surpasses all Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas combined.
tlKasyapa, w hen a prince is new ly born, all the chieftains and ministers com e
to pay their respects to him. Similarly, w h en a Bodhisattva first brings forth
bodhicitta, all gods and hum ans should pay hom age to him.
tlKasyapa, ju st as the herbs g ro w in g in the H im alayas belong to no one and
will cure any person o f his illness w ithout discrimination, so the medicine o f
w isdom acquired by a Bodhisattva can deliver all sentient beings equally, w ithout
discrimination.
tlKasyapa, ju st as people adore a new m oon m ore than a full m oon, so those
w h o believe m y w ords adore a Bodhisattva m ore than they adore a Tathagata.
Why? Because Tathagatas arc born o f Bodhisattvas.21
Kasyapa, a fool may w orship stars instead o f the m oon, but a wise m an
will never pay hom age to Sravakas instead o f Bodhisattvas.
tlKasyapa, no m atter h o w skillful a god or hum an m ay be in m aking artifi­
cial gems, he cannot turn an ordinary bead into a precious bead o f lapis lazuli.
Similarly, for all their accom plishm ents in discipline and meditation, those w ho
seek Sravakahood can never sit at the bodhi-site to realize supreme bodhi.
tlKasyapa, w h en a bead oflapis lazuli is form ed, myriads o f gem s will appear
with it. Similarly, w hen a Bodhisattva is taught and develops, he will yield m y r­
iads o f Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas.”
T hen the W orld-H onored O n e told M ahakasyapa further, “ A Bodhisattva
should always try to benefit sentient beings. H e should correctly cultivate all
m eritorious deeds and goo d roots and dedicate them to all sentient beings equally.
H e should adm inister to sentient beings everyw here in the ten directions the m e d ­
icines o f w isdom he has acquired, and thus cure th em thoroughly.
“ W hat are the genuine medicines o f w isdom ?22 C ontem plation on [bodily]
impurities cures lust. C ontem plation on kindness cures anger and hatred. C o n ­
templation on dependent origination cures ignorance.23
“C ontem plation on the emptiness o f phenom ena cures all deluded views.
C ontem plation on signlessness cures mem ories, discriminations, and w andering
thoughts. C ontem plation on wishlessness cures the desire to escape from the three
realms.
“C ontem plation on the four rig h t views curcs the four w ro n g views; con­
templation on the im perm ancncc o f all conditioned dharmas cures the w ro n g view
of regarding the im perm anent as permanent; contemplation on the sufferings caused
by conditioned dharm as cures the w ro n g view o f regarding suffering as pleasure;
contem plation on the absence o f self-entity in dharm as curcs the w ro n g view o f
402 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

“ Furtherm ore, one w h o has left the household life m ay have tw o blemishes.
W hat are the tw o? First, to tolerate defilements [in himself); second, to be attached
to donors.
“ Furtherm ore, one w h o has left the household life m ay be afflicted by tw o
hailstorm s that will ruin his good roots. W hat arc the two? First, to rebel against
and to corrupt the true Dharm a; second, to accept offerings from devotees after
having broken the precepts.
“Furtherm ore, one w h o has left the household life m ay suffer from tw o
abccsses. W hat are the tw o? First, to find fault w ith others; sccond, to hide his o w n
faults.
“ Furtherm ore, one w h o has left the household life m ay be afflictcd w ith tw o
fevers. W hat are the tw o? First, to be defiled in m ind w hile wearing a monastic
robe; second, to accept offerings from virtuous people w h o keep the preccpts,
[while violating the prccepts him self].
“ Furtherm ore, one w ho has left the household life m ay suffer from tw o
illnesses. W hat are the tw o? First, to be arrogant and refuse to be humble; sccond,
to ruin others，aspirations for the Mahayana.
“M oreover, Mahakasyapa, there are four kinds o f sramanas. W hat are the
four?
(1) Sramanas in appearance and attire [only];
(2) sramanas who are deceptively dignified in conduct;
(3) sramanas w h o lust for fame; and
(4) sramanas w h o really practice the D harm a.
“W hat is a sramana in appearance and attire [only]? Suppose a sramana is
fully dressed in a m onastic robe, has cleanly shaven hair and beard, and an alms-
b o w l in hand, yet he perform s im pure actions o f body, specch, and mind. Instead
o f properly guarding him self from evil, he is miserly, jealous, idle, and lazy; he
violates the precepts and engages in vile pursuits. Such a sramana is one in appear­
ance and attire [only].
“W hat is a sramana w h o is deceptively dignified in conduct? Suppose a
sramana displays full dignity in walking, standing, sitting, and lying dow n. H e is
com posed and serene; does n o t take delicacies; follows the four n oble practiccs;
avoids the bustling crow d, even a group o f m onks; and speaks softly. H ow ever, he
does all this deceitfully, not for the sake o f true purity. O r, he thinks there is
som ething to be attained in emptiness, and is afraid o f the doctrine o f nonattain­
m ent, ju st as one is afraid o f an(j4byss;; he regards as enemies or bandits those
m onks w h o preach that all dharm as are ultimately em pty. Such a sramana is one
w ho is deceptively dignified in conduct.
“What is a sramana w h o lusts for fame? Suppose a sramana observes the
preccpts only because he w ants to be k n o w n and to achicve certain goals in his
present life. H e reads and recites the sutras on his o w n because he w ants people to
k n o w that he is learned; and he lives alone in a secluded spot because he wants
 T h e SO t r a of A ssembled T reasures 403

people to k n o w that he is a rcclusc w ho has few desires, is contcnt, and practiccs

detachment. In short, he docs everything for the sole purpose o f fame, not out o f
renunciation, n o r to achicvc true tranquillity, nor to realize the truth, n o r to attain
the fruit o f a sramana or brahmin, n o r to achicvc nirvana. Such a sramana is one
w h o lusts for fame.
“Finally, Kasyapa, w h at is a sram ana w h o really practiccs the D harm a?
Suppose a sramana docs not even crave for physical cxistcncc, m uch less for
material gains. W hen he hears that all dharm as arc em pty, signless, and unsought,
he understands this doctrinc thoroughly, conform s to it, and practiccs it as taught.
H e docs not cultivate pure conduct in order to achicvc nirvana, m uch less to [be
reb o rn in] the three realms. H e docs not chcrish the idea o f emptiness, or the idea
that there is no ‘I， ’ let alone the idea o f an ‘I，
’ a being, or a personal identity.
“H e parts w ith reliance in seeking release from all defilements; seeing that all
dharm as arc originally undefiled and ultimately pure, he relics on him self instead
o f others. Realizing the true D harm a-body, he docs not even see the Buddha,
m uch less [his physical] form. T h ro u g h realizing emptiness, he has bccom c dc-
tachcd, and docs not even pcrccivc the D harm a; m uch less docs he crave for the
sounds and w o rd s 丨describing it]. Realizing the unconditioned, he docs not even
see the Sarhgha, m uch less the cxistcncc o f a harm onious assembly. H e docs not
eradicate anything or cultivate anything; he docs not abide in samsara or attach
himself to nirvana.27 K now ing that all dharm as are from the beginning ultimately
quiescent, he pcrccivcs no bondage and seeks no liberation. Such a sramana is one
w h o really practiccs the Dharm a.
“Thus, Kasyapa, you should im itate the sramana w h o really practiccs the
D harm a. D o not be ruined b#. namcs:\KaSyapa，suppose a poor, lowly m an as­
sum ed the n am e o f a rich, noble person. D o you think the n am e w ould fit h im ?”
“N o, W orld -H o n o red O n e .”
“ In the sam e way, Kasyapa, if one is callcd a sramana o r brahm in but docs
not perform the real m eritorious deeds o f a sramana or brahm in, he will be ruined
by the name.
“For example, a person sw ept away by a flood m ay die o f thirst and fatigue.
Similarly, Kasyapa, if a sramana reads m any sutras but cannot quench his thirst of
desire, hatred, and ignorancc, he will be swept away by the D harm a-flood, die of
the thirst o f defilements, and fall to the miserable planes o f cxistcncc.
“For example, a physician w ho always carrics a mcdicinc pouch m ay be
unable to cure his o w n illness. T h e same is true o f a learned person afflictcd with
the illness o f defi lements; although he has m uch learning, he cannot benefit him self
unless he puts an end to his defilements.
“A person w h o takes a king’s expensive mcdicinc m ay be unable to adjust
him self to it and be hurt by it. T h e same is true o f a learned person afflictcd with
the illness o f defilements: although he has obtained the good mcdicinc o f the
D harm a, he will hurt his o w n root o f w isdom if he docs not cultivate virtues.
''Kasyapa, just as a wish-fulfilling pearl that has just fallen into filth cannot
404 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

be w orn, so a learned person w h o covets material gains cannot benefit hum ans or
gods.
“Just as a corpsc m ay w ear gold ornaments, so a learned m o n k w h o breaks
the prccepts m ay [improperly] w ear monastic robes and accept offerings from
people.
“If an elder’s son trim s his nails, bathes, rubs him self w ith red sandalw ood
incense, puts a garland around his ncck, and w ears new, w hite clothing, th en his
appearance befits his social status. Similarly, Kasyapa, a learned m o n k w h o o b ­
serves the prccepts is w o rth y to w ear a monastic robe and accept offerings from
people.
“N ext, M ahakasyapa, there arc four kinds o f m o n k s w h o break the preccpts
but appear to keep the preccpts well. W hat arc the four?
‘‘Som e m onks observe the preccpts completely. T h ey arc always afraid o f
com m itting any transgression, w hether m ajor or m inor, and obey all the rules o f
discipline they have learned. T hey are pure in action, w ord, and thought, and
adopt a pure, right means o£.livclihood. H ow ever, they uphold the doctrine which
claims that there is a real Celf.'28 These people constitute the first kind o f m o n k w h o
breaks the prccepts but appears to keep the precepts well.
‘‘Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, som e m onks recite the codc o f discipline an d prac­
ticc its teachings. H ow ever, they continue to hold the view o f a r c a f to d y . T hey
constitute the sccond kind o f m o n k w ho breaks the preccpts but appears to keep
the prccepts well.
‘‘Furtherm ore, Kasyapa, som e m onks observe the precepts completely. H o w ­
ever, in practicing kindness they bccom e attached to sentient beings, and w hen
they hear that no dharm a ever arises, they are terrified. T hey constitute the third
kind of m onk w ho breaks the prccepts but seems to keep the precepts well.
"Finally, Kasyapa, som e m o n k s practice all l!welve'austerities,2y but see som e­
thing attainable in doing so. T hey constitute the fourth kind o f m onk w h o breaks
the preccpts but seems to keep the preccpts well.
“ N ext, Kasyapa, one w h o observes the preccpts well secs no T or ‘m ine ’；no
doing or nondoing, no deed or doer, no action or inaction, no nam e or form, no
signs or nonsigns, no cessation or continuation, no clinging or abandoning, n oth­
ing to grasp and nothing to give up, no sentient being and no term ‘sentient
being，，no m ind and no term ‘m in d ,’ no w orld or nonw orld, and no reliance or
nonreliance. Such a person does not pride him self on keeping the prccepts, nor
docs he look d o w n upon the way others observe the precepts, n o r does he think or
discriminate about the preccpts. He is called one w h o observes the discipline o f all
saints; he is free from defilements and bondage, not caught in the three realms, and
bcvond all doctrines o f rcliancc.”
T hereupon, to clarify this point, the W orld-H onored O ne spoke in verse:

“O n e w h o observes the preccpts purely

Is free from any blemish;
H e is free from everything.
 T he Sutra of A ssembled T reasures 405

In keeping the precepts,

H e is not arrogant,
A nd relies upon nothing.
In keeping the precepts,
H e is not deluded,
A nd is free from all bonds.
In keeping the precepts,
H e is untainted,
A nd does nothing amiss.
In keeping the precepts,
His m ind is pliant and gentle,
A nd he always dwells in ultim ate quiescence.
Such a person is far apart
From all thoughts and discriminations;
H e is liberated from every stirring
O f the mind.
This is the pure observance
O f the B uddha’s precepts.
If one is not attached to his [present] life,
N o r craves for any [future] birth,
But perform s only right actions,
A nd abides securely in the noble path—
H e is one who purely, and in truth,
O bserves the B u dd h a’s precepts.
O n e w h o keeps the precepts
Is not defiled by the w orld,
N o r docs he rely
O n anything mundane.
O nce he attains the light o f wisdom,
All darkness vanishes and n o thing remains;
W ithout a notion o f self or others,
H e k n o w s and sees all phenom ena.
H e is one w h o purely, and in truth,
O bserves the B u dd h a’s precepts.
T here is no this or other shore,
N o r anything in between.
Be not attached [to them], nor
T o the absence o f the three.
T o be free from bondage, defilements, and deceit
Is called the true, pure observance
O f the B u d d h a’s precepts.
406 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

If one is not attached to nam e or form

A nd has no notion o f ‘I，or ‘m in e ,，
H e is said to securely abide
In the true, pure observance
O f the precepts.
A lthough one m ay observe all precepts,
His arrogance should not increase,
N o r should he regard
T he discipline as supreme.
H e should transcend it,
A nd seek the holy path.
T o do this is a sign
O f the true, pure observance
O f the prccepts.
D o not regard the discipline as supreme,
N o r overvalue samadhi.
If one can transcend both discipline and samadhi,
B u t cultivate w isdom ,
H e will realize emptiness, still and void,
W hich is the very nature shared
Hy all saints and sages.
T o do this is the true, pure
O bservance o f the precepts,
Extolled by all Buddhas.
Release the m ind from the view o f a self,
Eliminate the T and ‘m ine,’
Believe in and understand
T he teaching o f quiescence and emptiness,
W hich all Buddhas practice;
H e w ho so observes the holy discipline
Is indeed peerless.
O n e depends on discipline to achicve samadhi,
A nd on samadhi to cultivate insight.
Relying on the insight thus cultivated,
O n e achieves the pure wisdom:
H e w h o achieves the pure w isdom
Is able to keep the pure preccpts.”

W hen this was spoken, five hundred m onks became detached from all dhar­
mas and achieved mental liberation;30 thirty -tw o thousand persons left m undane
filth behind and attained the clear D harm a-eye.31 H ow ever, five hundred m onks did
 T h e SO t r a of A ssembled T reasures 4 ir

not understand or believe in the profound D harm a they had heard, and they rose
from their seats and walked away.
Seeing this, M ahakasyapa said to the Buddha, “W orld-H onored O ne, these
five hundred m onks have all attained dhyana; however, because they cannot un ­
derstand or have faith in the profound D h arm a，they have risen and gone aw ay .， ’
T he B uddha said to Kasyapa, “These m onks all have arrogance; therefore,
w h en they hear o f the pure, flawless discipline, they cannot understand it or have
faith in it. T he m eaning o f the verses spoken by the B uddha is profound. Why?
Because the enlightenm ent o f Buddhas is profound. If a person has not planted
good roots abundantly, or associates with evil friends, he will lack the p o w er o f
faith and understanding, and it will be difficult for him to acccpt and believe in
[this doctrine).
"Furtherm ore, Mahakasyapa, at the time o f Kasyapa Buddha, these t'lve
hundred monks w ere disciples o f heterodox masters. O nce they visited Kasyapa
B uddha in order to find fault w ith him; however, after they heard that Buddha
expound the Dharm a, they acquired a little faith and thought, ‘This B uddha is
unusual; h o w w onderfully he speaks!，Because o f this virtuous thought, they were
born in the H eaven o f the T h irty-T h ree after death. W hen their lives ended there,
they w ere born in this w orld, and here they renounced the household life for the
D harm a.
“These m o n k s are strongly attached to various views; therefore, they cannot
believe in, conform to, or thoroughly understand the profound Dharm a they hear
expounded. A lthough they do not thoroughly understand the profound Dharm a,
they will obtain great benefit m erely because they have heard it. T hey will not be
reborn in the miserable planes o f existence, but will realize nirvana in this very
life.”
Then the B uddha told Subhuti, ‘‘Go bring those m onks b ack .”
Subhuti said, “W o rld-H onored O ne, these people do not even believe the
Buddha; m u ch less will they believe Subhuti.55
T hereupon the Buddha magically produced tw o m onks to follow the five
hundred m onks. W hen the [real| m onks saw the tw o magically produced ones,
they asked them , ‘‘Where are you going?”
T he magically produced m onks answered, ‘‘We arc going to som e secluded
spot to enjoy the practice o f m editation. Why? Because w e cannot understand or
believe in w h at the B u d d h a said.”
T he other m onks said, “Elders, w e cannot understand o r believe in w hat the
B uddha said, either. We, too, are going to a secluded spot to practice m e d ita tio n .
T hen the magically produced m onks said to the others, “We should give up
arrogance, defiance, and contention, and try to understand and believe in w hat the
B uddha taught. Why? Because to have no arrogance or contention is the law o f
sramanas. N irvana means cessation. What ceases? In the body, is there an ‘I ,’ a
personal identity, a doer, a receiver, or a life to cease?”
T h e other m onks said, “In the body, there is no ‘I，’no personal identity, no
408 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

doer, no receiver, and no life that ccases. It is the cessation o f desire, hatred, and
ignorance that is callcd nirvana.n
T he magically produced m onks asked, “ D o the desire, hatred, and ignorance
you m entioned have definite forms to be totally extinguished?”
T he other m o n k s answered, “Desire, hatred, and ignorance arc neither inside
n o r outside the body, nor anyw here in between. W hen one does not stir his mind,
they do not arise.”32
T he magically produced monks said, “In that ease, you should not stir your
m inds. If you do not stir your m inds or m ake distinctions about dharmas, then
you will be neither defiled by nor detached from anything. T o be neither defiled
by nor dctached from anything is called ultimate quiesccnce. Discipline docs not
com c or go or perish; meditation, w isdom , liberation, and the knowledge and
awareness derived from liberation33 also do not comc or go or perish. It is in light
o f this doctrine that w c speak o f nirvana. This truth is em pty [in itself], detached
from all things, and cannot be grasped. You should abandon even the th ought o f
nirvana. D o not follow any th o u g h t34 or nonthought. D o not rid yourselves o f a
th o u g h t by another thought. D o not contem plate a thought by another thought. If
you rid yourselves o f a thought by using a thought, y o u arc still b o u n d by
thought. Y ou should not discriminate anything concerning the D h y a n a o f Cessa­
tion o f Feeling and Conception, bccausc all dharmas arc beyond discrimination. If
a m o n k eliminates all feelings an d conccption an d attains this dhyana, then he
fulfills him self to the u tm o st.”
W hen the magically produced m onks had spoken thus, the five hundred
[real] m onks becam e detachcd from all dharm as and liberated in m ind. They
returned to the Buddha, bow ed w ith their heads at his feet, and stood to one side.
Subhuti asked the m onks, ‘‘W here did you go and w h ere do you com e
fro m ?”
T h e m o n k s said, “T h e D harm a expounded by th e B uddha comes from
now here and goes n o w h e re .”
‘‘W ho is your tcacher?”
‘‘H e w h o has never been born and will never die is our tcacher.”
“ Where do you learn the D harm a?”
“ We learn the D harm a in the place w h ere the five aggregates, the twelve
entrances, and the eighteen elements do not exist.”
“ W hy do you learn the D harm a?”
‘‘N o t for the sake o f b ondage or for the sake o f liberation.”
“ W hat doctrine do you practice?”
‘‘W e do not try to attain anything or to eliminate any thing.”
“ W ho subdued you?”
“W e arc subdued by |one whose] body has no definite nature and [whose]
m ind docs not act.， ，
35
“W hat action leads to the liberation o f the m ind?”
 T he S u t r a of A ssembled T reasures 409

“N either the eradication o f ignorance nor the generation o f w isdom . ’，

“W hose disciples are you?”
“W c are disciples o f o n e w h o attains nothing and k n o w s nothing. ”
“ You have attained [the ultimate liberation]; w hen will you enter nirvaija ?’，
“W hen a person magically produced by the Tathagata enters nirvana, we
will do so, to o ." 36
“H ave you obtained benefit for yourselves?”
“ Self-benefit is inapprehensible.”
“H ave you accomplished w hat you set out to do?”
“D eeds are inapprehensible.”
“H ave you cultivated pure conduct?”
“Wc cultivate nothing in the three realms, n o r do w e not cultivate anything;
this is our pure co n d u ct.”
“H ave you exhausted your defilements?”
“ U ltimately, nothing can be exhausted.”
“H ave you vanquished the dem ons?”
“T h e dem ons o f th e aggregates are inapprehensible.”
“D o you serve the Tathagata?n
“ N o t w ith body o r m in d .”
“D o y o u abide in the fields o f blessings?”
“W e do not abide in an y th in g .”
“H ave you cut o ff circling in saiiisara?”
“T h e re is neither perm anence n o r severance.”
“D o you conform to the D harm a?”
“W e are liberated from every obstruction.”37
“W hat is y our ultim ate destination?”
“W herever a person magically produced by the Tathagata goes, w e will g o .”
W hile Subhuti was questioning the m onks, five hundred other m onks be­
came detached from all dharm as and liberated in mind; th irty-tw o thousand people
parted fro m m undane defilements and attained the clear Dharm a-eye.
T h en a Bodhisattva in the assembly nam ed Universal Light asked the B u d ­
dha, “W o rld -H o n o red O ne, if a Bodhisattva wishes to learn this Sutra o f A s­
sem bled Treasures, w hat should he abide in and h o w should he learn it?”
T h e B uddha answered, “A Bodhisattva learning this sutra should k n o w that
w hat I have said has no definite nature, and he should not be attached to it or cling
to it. If he follows this instruction in his practice, he will benefit greatly.
“U niversal Light, suppose a person tries to cross the Ganges in a poorly built
boat. W ith w hat vigor should he row the boat?”
Bodhisattva U niversal Light replied, “W o rld-H onored O ne, he should row
it w ith great vigor. W hy? Because it m ay collapse in m idstream .”
T h e B uddha said, “ Universal Light, a Bodhisattva w h o wishes to cultivate
the B u d d h a-D h arm a should exert himself twice as hard. W hy? Because the body is
410 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

im perm anent and uncertain, a decaying form w hich cannot long remain and will
eventually w ear out and perish; it m ay disintegrate before one benefits from the
D harm a.
“ [A Bodhisattva should th in k ,] ‘I will learn to navigate the D harm a boat in
this stream [of sarhsara], so that I m ay ferry sentient beings across the four currents.
I will ply this D harm a boat back and forth in sariisara to deliver sentient beings .，
“T h e D harm a boat w hich a Bodhisattva should use is m ade for the purpose
o f saving all sentient beings equally. Its strong, thick planks are the imm easurable
m erits resulting from the practice o f pure discipline; its embellishments arc the
practice and the fruit o f giving; its beams are the pure faith in the B uddha-path; its
strong riggings are all kinds o f virtues; its nails are paticnce, tenderness, and
thoughtfulness. T he raw w o o d is the various ways to enlightenm ent, cultivated
with vigor, taken from the forest o f the supreme, w onderful D harm a.
“Its builders are the infinite, inconceivable dhyanas and the tranquil, wcll-
subducd m ind resulting from o n e’s m eritorious deeds. E vcr-cnduring compassion
and the four inducem ents are the m eans to attract im m ense num bers o f sentient
beings aboard to ferry them over the great distance. T he pow er o f wisdom guards
the boat from robbers. Ingenuity o f all kinds and the four im measurables are its
splendid adornm ents. T he four right mindfulnesses form its golden bridge. The
four right efforts and the four bases o f miraculous powers arc the swift w inds [that
propel the boat].
“T h e five roots are the able navigator who steers the boat aw ay from the
dangerous waters. The five pow ers are its strong buoyancy. The seven factors of
enlightenm ent serve to discover and vanquish devilish pirates. By sailing [on the
course of] the eightfold noble path, the boat will arrive at its destination on the
other shore, aw ay from the landings o f heterodox teachings.
“ C oncentration serves as the helm sm an, while insight brings the true b en ­
efit. T h e boat steers clear o f [the reefs of] the tw o extrem es and sails safely by the
law o f dependent generation. T he follower o f the vast M ahayana has inexhaustible
eloquence, and his nam e spreads far and wide. Being able to deliver sentient beings
in the ten directions, he proclaims, ‘C o m e aboard this D harm a boat! It sails on a
safe course to nirvana. It ferries you from the shore o f all w ro n g views, including
that o f a real self, to the shore o f B u d d h ah oo d .，
“Thus, Universal Light, a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva should learn everything
about this D harm a boat. For hundreds o f thousands o f millions o f billions o f
incalculable kalpas, he should use this D harm a boat to rescue those sentient beings
w ho are drifting and drow ning in the vast stream o f sarhsara.”
T he B uddha then said to Universal Light, “M oreover, there are other D h ar­
ma instructions that can cause a Bodhisattva to achieve B uddhahood quickly. T hey
are:

Be sincere in every endeavor and cultivate an abundance o f virtue.

Keep a pure, deeply 丨compassionate] m ind and never cease to be vigorous.
 T h e SO t r a of A ssembled T reasures 411

T ake delight in approaching enlightenm ent and cultivate all good roots.
A lw ays m aintain right th ought and enjoy w holesom e dharmas.
Learn the D harm a insatiably in order to be filled w ith w isdom .
Shatter y o u r conceit and arrogance in order to increase y o u r knowledge.
Rid yourself o f play-w ords in order to accomplish m eritorious deeds.
T ake pleasure in solitude in order to be detached in body and mind.
Stay aw ay from noisy crow ds in order to avoid w ickcd people.
Probe the depth o f the D harm a in accordancc w ith the ultim ate truth.
Seek the w isdom that penetrates reality.
Seek the real truth to attain the indestructiblc D harm a.
Seek the doctrine o f emptiness so that your practice m ay be right.
Seek detachm ent in order to attain ultim ate quiescence.
In this way, Universal Light, a Bodhisattva m ay quickly achieve B u d d h ah o o d .”
When this sutra had been spoken, Bodhisattva Universal Light, M ahaka­
syapa, and all the gods, asuras, and hum ans w ere jubilant. W ith great veneration,
they began to practice the sutra as taught.

NOTES

1. A fte r each series o f four, the category is repeated (e.g., “These four cause a Bodhi-
sattva's w isdom to decrease.”）W e have om itted this repetition for brevity.
2. Literally, “crooked m in d s .”
3. Literally, “straight m in d .”
4. T h a t is, he considers all adversity as retribution for his ow n negative karm a
co m m itte d in a previous life.
5. T h is is a recurring quandary for people w h o are interested in Buddhist doctrine: If
there is no T ，no ‘m in e ， ，and all dharm as are utterly em pty, h o w can the law o f karm a
prevail? T h e answ er is: it is precisely because e verything is e m p ty and there is no selt or 4I\
that everything can exist and the principle o f karm a can prevail. If things were truly existent,
i.e., w ith a definite, enduring substance or entity, then no change or flow would be possible.
Because n o thing has a self-nature (suabhdva), everything is possible. T he Buddhist way o f
thinking is unique in this aspect. T o understand this point m o re clearly, the reader is referred
to the M a dhya m ika and Prajnaparam ita literature, such as T .R . V. M urti, The C.'anral Philoso­
phy o f Buddhism (London: Allen & U nw in, 1955) ch. 1 ，2, and 3; and G arm a C hang, The
Buddhist Teaching o f Totality, (U niversity Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1971)
Part 2 ，sec. 1. (G .C .)
6. A similar quandary. If sentient beings, like all dharm as in the universe, are utterly
e m p ty and do not exist, on w h o m is com passion bestowed?
I think this problem is m uch m ore difficult to explain than that in note 5. I personally
do no t k n o w any com pletely satisfactory answer, for it is not only an ontological problem ,
412 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

but also an cthical one; hcncc, it involves a m uch broader spc c tru m o f questions than the
p rcccding one. T h e traditional B u d dhist answ ers to this problem arc as follows:
A. W hen a B odhisattva sees the illusory sentient beings u n d e rg o the illusory sufferings
causcd by their illusory karma, he generates an illusory com passion to w a rd the illusory
sentient beings and delivers them from their delusions. T h e Bodhisattva is illusory and
em pty, for he has no conccpt o f ‘se lf ，；the sentient beings and their sufferings arc also illusory
and e m p ty bccausc they have no sclf-cntitics; the com passion o f the Bodhisattva and the
sufferings o f sentient beings arc also illusory, bccausc they arc inapprehensible or unobtain­
able, like dream s or magic. E verything in saiiisara is illusory (mdya), like magic. H ow ever,
an illusory or m agic-likc B uddhist gam e— the Bodhisattva's com passion and his altruistic
deeds— can still take placc w ith o u t there being attachm ent to m a n ’s innate view that self and
beings arc all real (satkdyadrsti).
B. O n the m u ndane level, sentient beings and their sufferings, Bodhisattvas and their
vows, ctc., arc all ‘real，and do appear to exist, but on the transcendental level they arc all
e m pty o r nonexistent. H ow ever, these tw o levels (the tw o truths system) arc not separate
realms or entities; they arc actually one. T h ere is a m utually penetrating and m utually
identical all-m erging totality, in w hich the arising o f compassion and the emptiness o f sen­
tient beings arc not contradictory but interdependent and m utually supplem entary. T he
com plete m erging o f the m u ndane and the transcendental is expressed here as the cocxistcncc
o f the arising o f the Bodhisattvas5 compassion and the emptiness o f sentient beings. C o m p a s­
sion and em ptiness seem to be irrcconcilablc and contradictory by definition. H o w e v e r, this
is only from the lim ited hu m an view point; in the great m erging totality ( 圓 融 法 界 ) the
contradictions all bc co m c h a rm o n io u s noncontradictions. As long as there is the appcarancc
o f a d ich o to m y o f sariisara and nirvana, these contradictions are unavoidable, bccausc the
svabhdva w ay o f thinking preconditions m en to think in this m anner. In the totalistic w ay o f
thinking no such problem exists. See C ha n g , The Buddhist Teaching o f Totality, Part 2 ，see. 2.
7. T h e literal translation o f mo shih ( 魔 事 ）could be ‘devilish m atters'. Its m eaning is
very broad; it can includc acts o f dem ons affccting the Bodhisattva, as well as a n y devilish
tcndcncics he m ay have himself.
8. Literally, “ four im m easurable virtuous a d o rn m e n ts” ( 四 無 量 腥 德 莊 嚴 ）.
9. T his and the five follow ing lines refer to the practicc o f the six paramitas.
10 . — 味 is translated here as ‘uniform in taste， . ‘T a s te ，here m eans ‘n a tu re ，. 一 味 has
been translated by different scholars as ‘one taste', ‘one nature’ or ‘a t-o n c -m c n t， .
11. T hese t w o similes taken together indicate th e tw o m ain them es o f the M ahayana:
w isd o m and compassion.
12. T his perhaps is suggestive o f the Tantric view that enlightenm ent can be found
dircctly in defilements themselves, as w h e n the Bodhisattva identifies his defilements w ith
bodhi.
13. ‘T h e m iddle w a y ， ，as it is translated here, m ay also be interpreted as an adjcctivc
m od ify in g ‘in sight， ，and m eaning ‘n ot favoring one extrem e or an o th e r， . (Y .C .H .)
14. A lthough the Chinese text reads 受 ('felt'), I believe that this could be a m istransla­
tion, and that it should be rendered as ‘apprehended， . T h at w hich is apart from the tw o
extrem es cannot be apprehended o r expressed, but it can be “ felt， ，or ‘‘cxpcricnccd’，by
enlightened beings. (G .C.)
15. ‘U n s o u g h t，indicates that things cannot be wished for. Sincc ‘wishlcss，and ‘beyond
w ishing’ arc am biguous term s— though corresponding to the third do o r to liberation callcd
wishlcssncss— w c use ‘u n s o u g h t， .
 T he SO tra of A ssem bled T reasures 413

16. T h e tendency to cling to emptiness is very c o m m o n , cspccially for advanced

yogis. M any Z en koans bear witness to this fact. (G.C.)
17. Alternate translation: “Just as beings magically produced by a magician m ay
destroy cach o th e r and finally all comes to nought, so dharm as contem plated by a m o n k w ho
follows the path are empty, still, and insubstantial, and even his contem plation o f them is
also e m p ty .”
18. Literally, “he is apart from w orldly th ings,” b ut the Chinese w o rd 離 (‘apart
fro m ， ）docs not fit the contcxt. It m ay be a m isprint for 雜 （‘becom c involved'). Shih H u ’s
translation, Taisho 352, p. 2 0 8 ，com es close to ou r interpretation here.
19. O n e o f the three groups. See N um erical Glossary.
20. T his and the preceding scntcnccs all use the w o rd ‘conditioned’ ( 有 爲 ) . It could be
a corruption o f the text; Shih H u ’s translation has no m odifying w o rd 'co n d itio n e d ，
，and it
reads m o re sm o o th ly and clcarly. O f coursc, Shih H u ’s text is obviously a different version,
probably o f a m u ch later date. See Taisho 325, pp. 208-209. (G.C.)
21. A novice Bodhisattva, w ith all his im m aturity and imperfections, strives for
B u d d h a h o o d and practices the B odhisattva’s deeds. In his undertaking of the B odhisattva’s
acts, he often appears m o re attractive and appealing to m an, bccause he speaks our language,
understands ou r problem s, and shares ou r feelings. H e is one o f us. As in the parable o f the
new m o o n and the full m oon, im pcrfcction is som etim es m o re beautiful than perfection.
(G.C.)
There m ay be a different interpretation. T hose w h o believe the B uddha's words (as
opposed to people in general) “adore a Bodhisattva m o re than they adore a T athag ata,>
sim ply because they accept the B uddha's statem ent that ^Tathagatas arc born o f B o d h i­
sattvas. M T o “adore a new m o o n m ore than a full m o o n ” m ay be just a custom in India,
m arking the beginning o f a bright future, and thus a handy illustration in this ease; it m ay
have n o thing to do w ith beauty. (S.L.M.)
22. O r , “the B odhisattva’s ultim ate medicincs o f w is d o m .”
23. In this way, the three poisons or defilements are countcractcd.
24. This and the subsequent six paragraphs apply the thirty-seven ways to enlighten­
m ent.
25. All these eight term s arc different nam es for the T ，w hich non-B uddhists think o f
as that w h ic h k n o w s and sees, perform s actions, and rcceivcs karm ic results.
26. This parable is n ot clear in the text, but w c presum e it means this: the person w h o
th ro w s the clods o f earth at the d og represents the inner desires, while the clods he throws
represent sensuous pleasures. T he person is the root o f the d o g ’s problem ; as long as the
person is there, the clods o f earth will keep com ing. Therefore, to free itself from the attack,
the dog should chase the person instead o f the clods o f earth. Similarly, a sram ana should
conquer the desires w ithin instead o f trying to live in a sccludcd place devoid o f sensuous
pleasures in order to cure his defilements.
27. See Glossary, unirvana.M This is the nonabiding nirvana.
28. Atma-vada, C h . 有 我 論 • This is the doctrine w hich claims that ‘self’ {dtman), w hich
also may be translated as ‘soul，or ‘substancc’，is real, perm anent, eternal, unchanging, and
irreducible.
29. T h e tw elve are:
1) living in a secludcd forest;
2) begging for food;
414 O n G eneral M a h a y a n a D o ct r in e

3) taking turns at begging for food;

4) eating only one meal a day;
5) eating only a small a m o u n t o f food;
6) taking no food, and no drinks m ade w ith fruit or honey, after midday;
7) w earing garm ents o f cast-off rags;
8) having only three garm ents;
9) dwelling a m o n g graves;
10) staying u nder a tree;
11) sitting on bare ground; and
12) never lying dow n.
30. T o b e co m e detached from all d harm as and achicve mental liberation is tantam ount
to attaining A rhatship, the fourth and ultim ate fruit o f a Sravaka.
31. T o leave m u n d an e filth behind and attain the d e a r D harm a-cye is to achicve the
fruit o f a Stream -enterer, the first fruit o f a Sravaka.
32. Literally, “W hen one does not re m e m b e r and think, they do not arise.”
33. Discipline, m editation, w isdom , liberation, and the k now ledge and awareness
derived fro m liberation are called ‘the five factors and the D h a rm a -b o d y ，
.
34. T h e Chinese w o rd hsian ( 想 ）is here rendered as ‘th o u g h t，
又 ，w hich is n ot an
altogether satisfactory translation. O th e r renderings have difficulties, too, how ever. Hsiatig
seems to contain m an y meanings; here, in this context, it denotes thoughts, concepts, no ­
tions, ideas, etc., a broad range o f mental activities.
35. Alternate translation: “W e are subdued because w e realize that the body has no
definite nature and the m ind does not act.” (W .H.)
36. Shih H u ’s translation reads:

“W hen will you enter nirvai;ia?”

T he m o n k s said, “'When the Tathagata enters nirvana, w e will th en enter
nirvaiia." (Taisho 352, p. 215)

37. This can also be translated, “W c are unim pcdedly liberated.” (Y .T.L.)
 21 無盡慧菩薩會

Dialogue With Bodhisattva Infinite Wisdom

T hus have I heard. O nce the B uddha w as dwelling near Rajagrha o n M o u n t

Grdhrakuta, together w ith an assembly o f twelve hundred fifty m onks. There
w ere also ten thousand Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas present, am ong w h o m w ere B o ­
dhisattva W isdom Banner, Bodhisattva D harm a Banner, Bodhisattva M o o n B an­
ner, Bodhisattva Sun Banner, and Bodhisattva Boundless Banner; sixteen lay B o ­
dhisattvas, w ith Bhadrapala foremost; sixty Bodhisa'ttva-Mahasattvas o f in co m ­
parable mind, w ith M anjusri foremost; all the Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas o f the
W orthy Kalpa, with Bodhisattva Maitreya foremost; and sixty thousand other
Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas, w ith Bodhisattva Infinite W isdom foremost.
At that time, Bodhisattva Infinite W isdom rose from his seat, uncovered his
right shoulder, knelt upon his right knee, faccd the B uddha w ith palm s joined, and
paid hom age to him by bow ing d o w n w ith his head at the B uddha’s feet. H e then
scattered precious flowers around the Buddha as an offering and said, “T he W orld-
H ono red O n e speaks o f bodhi-m ind \bodhicitta]. By w hat principle do you speak o f
it? W hat are the w ays in w hich a Bodhisattva achieves bodhi-m ind? W hat is
bodhi-m ind? In bodhi, the m ind is inapprehensible; in the m ind, bodhi is also
inapprehensible. A part from bodhi, the m ind is inapprehensible; apart from the
m ind, bodhi is also inapprehensible. Bodhi is formless, signless, and inexpressible;
the m ind is also formless, signless, and not demonstrable; thus, too, arc sentient
beings. N o n e o f the three is apprehensible. W orld-H onored One, sincc all dharm as
are such, by w hat principle should we cultivate ourselves?”
T h e B uddha said, “G o od man, listen to me attentively. T h e bodhi I speak o f
has intrinsically no nam e or description. Why? Becausc in bodhi. nam e and de­
scription arc inapprehensible. T he same is true o f the mind and sentient beings.
Such an understanding is called bodhi-m ind.
Sutra 45, Taisho 310, pp. 64^-650; translated into Chinese by Bodhiruci.
416 O n G en eral M ah a y a n a D o c trin e

“B odhi has nothing to do w ith the past, present, or future. T he m ind and
sentient beings also have nothing to do w ith the past, present, or future. H e w ho
understands this is called a Bodhisattva. H o w ever, in Bodhisattvahood, too, there
is nothing apprehensible.
“O n e w h o realizes that all dharm as arc inapprehensible is said to have at­
tained bodhi-m ind. A n A rhat w h o has attained A rhatship has actually attained
nothing; it is only to follow convention that he is said to have attained Arhatship.
“All dharm as arc inapprehensible, and bodhi-m ind is no exception. T o guide
novicc Bodhisattvas, bodhi-m ind is m entioned, but there is neither m ind n o r the
term ‘m in d ’ in all this, neither bodhi n o r the term ‘b o d h i，
’ neither sentient beings
n o r the term ‘sentient beings,’ neither Sravakas nor the term 'Sravakas,5 neither
Pratyekabuddhas n o r the term ‘Pratyekabuddhas，’ neither Bodhisattvas n o r the
term ‘B odhisattvas,’ neither Tathagatas n o r the term ‘Tathagatas，’neither the con­
ditioned nor the term ‘the conditioned，，neither the unconditioned n o r the term
‘the unconditioned，’neither attainment at present n o r attainment in the future.
“Nevertheless, good man, I will use w ords as a means o f expression and
explain to you [the ten ways to generate bodhi-mind]:
“First is th e v o w to be forem ost in the cultivation o f extensive good roots,
ju st as M o u n t Sum eru tow ers above everything else. This is the basis o f the
paramita o f giving.
“ Second is the v o w to establish all o n e’s undertakings firmly, ju st as the
great earth anchors all things. This is the basis o f the param ita o f discipline.
“T hird is the v o w to have a strong will to bear all afflictions w ith courage
and ease, just as an aw esom e lion fearlessly subdues all beasts. This is the basis o f
the param ita o f patience.
“Eoutth is the v o w to have overw helm ing po w er to conqucr defilements,
ju st as\ Narayan^. vanquishes his opponents. This is the basis o f the paramita o f
vigor.
“Fifth is the v o w to cultivate virtues and develop all kinds o f good roots,
w hich will blossom like flowering parijata and kovidara trees. This is the basis o f
the param ita o f meditation.
“Sixth is the v o w to cradicatc ignorancc and delusion, ju st as the boundless
light of' the sun dispels darkness. This is the basis o f the paramita o f w isdom .
“Seventh is the v o w to consum m ate all m eritorious aspirations an d all glo­
ries, so that one can deliver people from dangers and disasters, like a wealthy,
[benevolent] m erchant w h o uses his resources skillfully. This is the basis o f the
paramita o f ingenuity.
“E ighth is the v o w to overcom e all obstacles, and thus acquire a m ind as
perfectly peaceful and pure as a clear, full m o o n . T his is the basis o f the paramita
ot power.
“N in th is the v o w to adorn and purify all beings and all Buddha-lands, to
perform all w holesom e deeds, and to succccd in w hatever one docs, ju st as a poor
m an w h o acquires inexhaustible treasures can fulfil all his wishes. This is the basis
o f the paramita o f volition.
 D i a l o g u e w i t h B o d h i s a t t v a In f i n i t e W i s d o m 417

“T en th is the v o w to acquirc blessings and know ledge as boundless as spacc,

and to m aster all dharmas, like an anointed universal m o narch [who is master o f
the w orld]. This is the basis o f the paramita o f knowledge.
“G o o d m an, one w h o succeeds in cultivating these ten w ays to generate
bodhi-m ind is called a Bodhisattva, a pre-em inent being, a being free o f hindrance,
not an inferior being. Yet, since the reality o f things is inapprehensible, there is
actually neither sentient being nor m ind nor bodhi in all this.
"Furtherm ore, good m an, a Bodhisattva w h o practices the paramita o f giv­
ing regards ten things as foremost:
(1) the root o f faith;1
(2 ) the p o w e r o f faith;
(3) aspiration;
(4) ever-increasing aspiration;
(5) benefiting sentient beings;
6
( ) great kindness;
(7) great compassion;
(8) the practice o f the four inducements;
(9) love for the B uddha-D harm a; and
10) the quest for all-know ing w isdom .
These arc the ten.
“G o o d m an, a Bodhisattva w h o practices the paramita o f discipline regards
ten things as foremost: .
(1) keeping his bodily actions pure and clean;
(2) keeping his verbal actions pure and clean;
(3) keeping his m ental actions pure and clcan;
(4) not bearing grudges or ill will;
(5) purification and abolition o f the miserable planes o f existence;
(6) avoiding the eight adversities;
(7) transcending the stages o f Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas;
(8) abiding securely in the B uddha’s merits;
(9) fulfillment o f all wishes; and
(10) fulfillment o f his great vows.
These are the ten.
“G o o d man, a Bodhisattva w h o practices the paramita o f patiencc regards
ten things as foremost:
(1) abandoning hatred;
(2) disregarding his o w n body;
(3) disregarding his o w n life;
(4) belief in and understanding o f [the D harm a];
(5) bringing sentient beings to maturity;
(6) the p o w e r o f kindness;
418 O n G eneral M a h a y a n a D o c tr in e

(7) the realization o f compliancc w ith the Dharma;

(8) the realization o f the profound Dharma;
(9) the vast, suprem e patience; and
(10) dispelling the darkness o f ignorancc.
These are the ten.
“G o od man, a Bodhisattva w h o practices the paramita o f vigor regards ten
things as foremost:
acting in conform ity w ith sentient beings;
(2 always rcjoicing over others ，[meritorious] actions, w ords, and thoughts;
(3 never being indolent;
(4 devoting him self to progress;
(5 cultivating right effort;
(6 cultivating the [four] mindfulnesses;
(7 destroying afflictions, the enemies;
(8 observing all dharmas;
(9 bringing sentient beings to maturity; and
10 pursuing all-know ing w isdom .
T hese arc the ten.
“ G ood m an, a Bodhisattva w h o practices the param ita o f m editation regards
ten things as foremost:
abiding sccurely in w holesom e dharmas;
(2 fixing the m ind on one objcct;
(3 attaining poise by fixing the m ind on one objcct;
(4 right concentration;
(5 liberation through dhyana;
(6 the root o f concentration;2
(7 the po w er o f concentration;
(8 the destruction o f afflictions, the enemies;
(9 the perfection o f all dhyanas;3
10 the sam adhi that protects the Dharm a.
T hese are the ten.
‘‘G ood m an, a B odhisattva w h o practices the paramita o f w isdom regards
ten things as foremost:
1) skillful observation o f the [five] aggregates;
2) skillful observation o f the [eighteen] elem ents and [twelve] entrances;
3) right view;
4) right mindfulness;
5) thorou g h ly understanding the [four] noble truths;
6) abandoning w rong views;
7) the root o f wisdom;
 D i a l o g u e w i t h B o d h i s a t t v a In f in it e W i s d o m 419

(8) the Realization o f the N onarising o f Dharmas;

(9) the po w er o f w isdom ; and
(10) unim peded knowledge.
These are the ten.
“G ood man, a Bodhisattva w h o practices the paramita o f ingenuity regards
ten things as foremost:
penetrating the mentalities and desires o f sentient beings;
(2 strengthening sentient beings w ith his powers;
(3 great kindness and great compassion;
(4 untiringly bringing sentient beings to maturity;
(5 rcjccting the states o f the Sravaka and Pratyekabuddha;
(6 superior know ledge and views;
(7 cultivating all the paramitas;
(8 seeing all dharm as as they really arc;
(9 acquiring the inconccivable powers; and
10 [attaining] the state o f nonrcgression.
These are the ten.
“G ood m an, a Bodhisattva w h o practiccs the param ita o f pow er regards ten
things as foremost:
(1) kn o w ing the ju n g le o f all beings’ mentalities;
(2) kn o w ing the ju n g le o f all beings’ defiled activities;
(3) kn o w ing the ju n g le o f all beings，activities o f aspiration and superior
understanding;
(4) kn o w ing the ju n g le o f all beings’ sensuous activities;
(5) kn o w ing the ju n g le o f all beings’ activities o f the [eighteen] elements;
(6) kn o w ing the jungle o f the secondary defiled activities4 o f all beings;
(7) kn o w ing the ju n g le o f all beings’ activities in sariisara;
(8) kn o w ing the ju n gle o f all beings，karm ic results from activities in the
past, present, and future;
(9) kn o w ing the ju n g le o f all beings’ defiled habits; and
(10) tirelessly bringing to m aturity sentient beings w ith their junglc-like
capacities.
• • s

These are the ten.

“G ood man, a Bodhisattva w h o practices the paramita o f volition regards
ten things as foremost:
(1) kn o w ing that no dharm a arises;
(2) k n o w ing that all dharm as are formless;
(3) k n o w ing that no dharm a ceases;
(4) kn o w ing that there are no dharmas;
(5) being attached to nothing;
420 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

know ing that no dharm a comes |into being];

7 know ing that n o dharm a goes [into extinction];
( )
( 8 ) know ing that all dharm as are devoid o f self-nature;
(9) know ing that all dharmas are equal, w ithout a beginning, middle, or end;
and
not differentiating the beginning, middle, or end o f any dharma.
These arc the ten.
‘‘G o od m an, a Bodhisattva w ho practices the paramita o f know ledge regards
ten things as foremost:
(1) skillful understanding and analysis o f all dharmas;
(2) skillful perfection o f w hite [i.e., wholesom e] dharmas;
(3) accum ulating the num erous spiritual provisions o f a Bodhisattva;
(4) gathering an abundant provision o f blessed deeds and knowledge;
(5) perfecting great compassion;
(6) entering all different worlds;
(7) understanding the defiled activities o f all sentient beings;
(8) exerting him self to enter the T athagata’s state;
(9) seeking to enter the excellent states o f possessing the ten powers, the
[four] fearlessnesses, and the [eighteen] unique qualities o f a Buddha; and
(10) ascending to the throne o f an A nointed O n e6 and achieving the suprem e
qualities o f an A ll-K now ing One.
These are the ten.
“ G ood m an, w hen Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas practice the ten paramitas, they
regard the ten things in cach category as foremost.
“ Furtherm ore, good man, w hat are the m eanings [and functions] o f the
paramitas? [They are to cause one:]
to recognize clearly the practices that surpass those o f Sravakas and
Pratyekabuddhas;
to recognize clearly the vast, perfect w isdom o f the Tathagatas;
to be detached from both conditioned and unconditioned dharmas;
to understand the undesirability o f sarhsara as it really is;
to enlighten those w h o are not yet enlightened;
to acquire the inexhaustible D harm a-treasury o f the Tathagata;
to obtain unhindered liberation;
to save sentient beings by giving;
to fulfill his original vow s by discipline;
to obtain all the majestic auspicious signs through patience;
to fathom the ultimate depth o f all the B u d d h a’s teachings by vigor;
to generate the four im m easurables by meditation;
to eradicate all afflictions by wisdom ;
to accumulate the B u d d h a’s teachings by ingenuity;
 D ia l o g u e w it h B o d h is a t t v a In f in it e W isd o m 421

to fulfill the B u d d h a’s teachings by volition;

to aw aken sentient beings’ pure faith by power;
to obtain the all-know ing w isdom o f the Tathagata by knowledge;
to acquirc the Realization o f the N onarising o f Dharm as;
to attain the state o f nonregression;
to purify a Buddha-land;
to bring sentient beings to maturity;
to consum m ate at the bodhi-site the w isdom o f all Tathagatas;
to vanquish all demons;
to gain com m an d o f the four bases o f miraculous powers;
to abide neither in saihsara nor in nirvana;
to transcend all the virtues o f Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas;
to overcom e all heterodox doctrines;
to achicvc the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, and the [eighteen] unique
qualities o f the Buddha;
to realize suprem e enlightenment; and
to turn the twelve kinds o f D h arm a wheels.7

All these are the meanings [and functions] o f the paramitas.

“Furtherm ore, goo d man, w hen a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva is about to abide
in the Stage o f Great Joy— the first stage o f Bodhisattva developm ent— he will first
have a vision o f all the hundreds o f thousands o f millions o f m yriads o f hidden
treasures in the billion-world universe.
“ W hen a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Stage o f Stainless Purity— the
second stage— he will first have a vision o f a billion-world universe w ith its ground
as flat as o n e ’s palm and w ith pure adornm ents o f innum erable hundreds o f th o u ­
sands o f millions o f myriads o f precious lotus flowers.
“ W hen a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Stage o f Illumination— the
third stage— he will first have a vision o f him self clad in arm o r and brandishing a
cudgel, repressing enemies dauntlessly and resolutely.
“ W hen a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Stage o f Radiant Flames— the
fourth sta g e ~ h e will first have a vision o f all kinds o f rare flowers being scattered
over the ground by the w ind from the four quarters.
‘‘W hen a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Stage o f Invinciblc Strength—
the fifth stage— he will first have a vision o f w o m en w ith garlands o f atimuktaka, \
varsika, and campaka flowers on their heads and various adornm ents on their
bodies.
‘‘W hen a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Stage o f D irect Presence— the
sixth stage— he will first have a vision o f a beautiful pond filled with pure, lucid
w ate r having eight merits. Gold sand will form the b o tto m o f the pond, four
jewelled flights o f steps will be o n its sides, and it will be adorned w ith blue, red,
white, and variously colored lotus flowers. He will see him self playing in this
pond.
422 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

“W hen a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Far-Reaching Stage— the sev­

enth s t a g e h e will first have a vision o f hells to his left and right, and will see
himself passing through them unharm ed.
“W hen a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Stage o f Im m ovable Stead­
fastness— the eighth s ta g e ~ h e will first have a vision o f him self bearing the signs
o f a lion king on his shoulders, frightening all beasts.
“W hen a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Stage of M eritorious Wis­
d o m — the ninth stage—he will first have a vision o f him self as a universal m onarch
teaching the true Dharm a, surrounded by innum erable hundreds o f thousands
o f millions o f m yriads o f kings, and shaded by various clean, white, jewelled
canopies.
“W hen a Bodhisattva is about to abide in the Stage o f the D harm a-C lo u d —
the tenth s ta g e ~ h e will first have a vision o f him self [with a body] the color of
genuine gold, complete with all the th irty-tw o auspicious signs o f a Tathagata, and
haloed w ith a circle o f light several feet in radius.8 He will be seated com fortably on
a broad, high lion-thronc, and surrounded by innumerable hundreds o f thousands
o f millions o f m yriads o f gods from the B rahm a Heaven, w h o will respectfully
m ake offerings to h im and listen to his preaching o f the Dharm a.
“G o o d man, due to the po w e r o f samadhi, a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva will
have each o f these visions respectively prior to his attainm ent o f each o f the ten
stages.
“Furtherm ore, good man, a Bodhisattva:
in the first stage perfects the paramita o f giving;
in the second stage, the paramita o f discipline;
in the third stage, the paramita o f patience;
in the fourth stage, the paramita o f vigor;
in the fifth stage, the paramita o f meditation;
in the sixth stage, the paramita o f wisdom ;
in the seventh stage, the paramita o f ingenuity;
in the eighth stage, the paramita o f power;
in the ninth stage, the paramita o f volition; and
in the tenth stage, the paramita o f knowledge.
“Furtherm ore, good man, a Bodhisattva w h o brings forth:
the first v o w [in generating bodhi-m ind] will attain the Treasure-Revealing
Samadhi;
the second v ow , the Well-Abiding Samadhi;
the third vow , the Im m ovable Samadhi;
the fourth vow , the N onrcgressing Samadhi;
the fifth vow , the Precious Flower Samadhi;
the sixth vow , the Sunlight Samadhi;
the seventh vow , the Samadhi o f the Realization o f All Meanings;
the eighth vow , the Samadhi o f the T o rc h o f Wisdom;
 D ia lo g u e w it h B o d h i s a t t v a In fin ite W isd om 423

the ninth vow , the Samadhi o f Dircct Realization o f the B uddha-D harm a;
and
the tenth vow , the Siirarhgama Sam adhi.9
‘‘Furtherm ore, good m an, a Bodhisattva attains:
the D haranl o f Superior Blessings in the first stage;
the Unsurpassable Dhararn in the second stage;
the W ell-Abiding D haranl in the third stage;
the Indestructible D haranl in the fourth stage;
the Stainless D haranl in the fifth stage;
the D haranl o f the Wheel o f W isdom -L ight in the sixth stage;
the Superb D eed D haranl in the seventh stage;
the Pure D iscernm ent Dhararn in the eighth stage;
the Dhararn o f the Manifestation o f Boundless Doctrines in the ninth stage;
and
the Inexhaustible D h arm a Store D haranl in the tenth stage.”
At that time, in the assembly, a god nam ed Lion Banner o f U n im peded
Light rose from his scat, bared his right shoulder, knelt upon his right knee, faced
the B uddha with palm s joined, and said, “H o w wonderful, W orld-H onored One!
H o w w onderful, W ell-Gone One! This doctrine is so profound and extensive that
it com prises all the teachings o f the B u d d h as.”
T hereupon, the Buddha told Lion Banner o f U nim peded Light, “So it is, so
it is, as you have said. G ood man, if a Bodhisattva can listen to and accept this
doctrinc, even temporarily, he or she will never regress from the pursuit o f su­
prem e enlightenment. Why? T hat good m an or good w o m an has planted and
m atured various roots o f virtue; therefore, he or she is im*prcsscd by the sutra upon
hearing it.
“G o od m an, if m en or w o m en hear this sutra, all the good roots they have
planted will be purified, and consequently they will not fail to see the Buddha,
listen to the D harm a, m ake offerings to the Sarhgha, and bring sentient beings to
m aturity. T hey will not be separated from:
the D haranl o f th e O cean Seal;
the Dhararn o f Boundless Manifestations;
the Dhararn o f Penetrating the Desires and Mentalities o f Sentient Beings;
the D haranl o f the Banner o f Pure Sunlight;
the D haranl o f the Banner o f Stainless M oonlight;
the D haranl o f Breaking All Bonds;
the Dhararn o f D estroying Boundless Afflictions as A dam ant as a D iam ond
M ountain;
the Dhararn o f U nderstanding W ords Expressing the Equality o f the D harm a-
N ature;
the Dhararn o f U nderstanding the Language and Voicc o f Reality;
424 O n G eneral M ahayana D o c t r in e

the D harani Im printed by the Seal o f Boundless Purity as Revealed by

Emptiness; and
the D harani o f Achieving and Manifesting the Boundless B uddha-B ody.
‘‘G o od m an, if a Bodhisattva achieves these dharanis, he will then be able to
transform him self into B uddha-form s to teach sentient beings in all the lands o f the
ten directions. H ow ever, in light o f the D harm a-nature, he neither com es nor
goes, n o r does he teach any sentient beings. H e docs not cling to the w ords he uses
to tcach the D harm a. H e is impartial and steadfast. A lth o u g h he manifests a body
that lives and dies, in reality nothing ever arises or ceascs; not a single dharm a
com cs or goes. H e realizes that all p h enom ena arc originally quiescent, and thus
abides securcly in the B uddha-D harm a. W hy? Becausc he m akes no distinctions
am ong d harm as.”
D uring the preaching o f this doctrine, thirty thousand Bodhisattvas in the
assembly achieved the Realization o f the N onarising o f Dharmas; innum erable
Bodhisattvas attained the state o f nonregression from the pursuit o f suprem e en ­
lightenm ent; innum erable sentient beings resolved to seek enlightenm ent; and in­
num erable m onks attained the clear Dharm a-eye.
W hen the Buddha finished teaching this sutra, Bodhisattva Infinite W isdom
and the m onks, gods, hum ans, asuras, gandharvas, and so on w ere all jubilant.
T hey accepted it w ith faith, and began to practice it w ith veneration.

NOTES
1. T h e root o f faith is one o f the five roots. See N um erical Glossary.
2. T h e root o f concentration is another o f the five roots.
3. W e render the Chinese characters 定 聚 as ‘all d h y anas1. 定聚 usually m eans ‘the
g ro u p o f people decidcd on enlighteiim ciit， ，b ut this docs not suit the contcxt.
4. T h e activities resulting from the secondary defilements. Desire, hatred, ignorance,
arrogance, doubt, and w ro n g views arc the prim ary defilements. All other u n w h olesom e
mentalities, such as jealousy, vexation, and miserliness, are secondary defilements.
5. Literally, “tirelessly ripening the jungle-likc capacities o f sentient beings.”
6. O n e w h o has reached the tenth stage o f B odhisattvahood, and is about to attain
B uddhahood.
7. W e are not sure o f the identity o f the twelve kinds o f D h a rm a wheels; they may
refer to the threefold form ula o f the four noble truths.
8. T h e Chinese text reads 圓 光 一 尋 • 尋 is a m easure o f eight Chinese feet. T he
original Sanskrit for this phrase is not k n o w n to us. It is also am biguous w hether the halo is
eight feet in diam eter o r in radius. W e expediently translate it as ‘several feet， .
9. Suraihgam a m eans ‘h e ro ic ，， ‘du ra b le ，
，or ‘all things com p le te d ’. This sam adhi is
attained bv a B uddha o r advanced Bodhisattva.
 VIII
On Skillful Means
 2 2 大乘方便會
On the Param ita of Ingenuity

T h u s have I heard. Once the B uddha was dwelling near SravastT, in the Garden of
Anathapiiidada in the Jcta Grove, accompanied by eight thousand m onks, all o f
w h o m w ere great Sravakas in the learning stage or in the stage b ey o nd learning;
and by tw elve thousand Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas k n o w n to all, w h o had achieved
m iraculous powers, dharanis, unhindered eloquence, the realization o f dharmas,
and countless merits.
At that time, the Tathagata em erged from samadhi and was ready to teach
the D harm a to the incalculable hundreds o f thousands o f [millions of] billions o f
sentient beings w h o surrounded him respectfully. T hen, in the assembly, a B o ­
dhisattva-M ahasattva nam ed Superior W isdom rose from his seat, bared his right
shoulder, knelt on his right knee, joined his palms tow ard the Buddha, and said,
“W orld -H o n o red O ne, I wish to ask a question. M ay you be so kind as to allow
m e to do so. I dare not bring up m y question w ithout the permission o f the
B u d d h a.”
T he B uddha told Bodhisattva Superior W isdom , “G ood man, you m ay
inquire as you like. I will answ er you and resolve all y our d o u b ts.”
T hen Bodhisattva Superior W isdom asked the Buddha, ‘‘W orld-H onored
One, regarding ingenuity, w h at is the ingenuity o f a Bodhisattva? W orld-H onored
One, h o w does a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva practice ingenuity?”
After Bodhisattva Superior W isdom had asked his question, the Buddha
praised him, saying, “Excellent! It is excellent, good man, that for the sake o f
Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas, you ask about the m eaning o f ingenuity. This will bene-

Sutra 38，Taisho 310 ，pp. 594—607; translated into Chinese by Nandi.

428 O n S k il l f u l M e a n s

fit, com fort, and gladden m any sentient beings. G ood man, in order to show
compassion for gods and hum ans, to bring them peacc, happiness, and benefit, and
to help them obtain the w isdom o f the future Bodhisattvas and the B uddha-
D harm as o f the past, present, and future, I will n o w explain this to you. Listen
attentively and think carefully about it.”
Bodhisattva Superior W isdom obeyed and listened.
T h e B uddha said, “G o od man, a Bodhisattva w h o practices ingenuity can
use even a handful o f food as alms for all sentient beings.1 W hy? W hen a B odhi­
sattva w h o practices ingenuity gives a handful o f food to any single sentient being,
even an animal, he does so w ith an aspiration for all-knowing wisdom, and vows
to share the m erit o f this giving w ith all sentient beings by dedicating it to the
[universal] attainm ent o f suprem e enlightenm ent. Bccausc o f these tw o — his seek­
ing all-know ing .jwisdorr? and his skillful vo.w— he attracts sentient beings into his
following. G ood rlian, this is the ingenuity practiced by a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“Furtherm ore, good m an, w hen a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w h o practices
ingenuity sees others practice giving, he rejoices and wishes to share w ith all
sentient beings this m erit2 o f sympathetic jo y by dedicating it to th e [universal]
attainm ent o f suprem e enlightenment. H e also hopes that givers and recipients will
not be apart from the aspiration for all-knowing w isd o m ,3 even if the recipients are
Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas. This is the ingenuity practiccd by a Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva.
“M oreover, good man, w h en a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w h o practiccs in­
genuity sees flowers, trees, or any kind o f incense w hich do not belong to anyone
in any o f the worlds o f the ten directions, he will gather them up and offer th em to
Buddhas. W hen he sees flowers, trees, or any kind o f incense w hich once belonged
to som eone but n o w have been blow n aw ay by the wind, he will gather th em up
and offer th em to the B uddhas in the w orlds o f the ten directions. H e cultivates
these good roots in order to cause him self and all other sentient beings to have the
aspiration for all-know ing w isdom . Because o f this good root, he will achieve
im m easurable discipline, meditation, w isdom , liberation, and the knowledge and
awareness derived from liberation.4 This is the ingenuity practiced by a B odhi­
sattva-Mahasattva.
“Furtherm ore, good m an, w hen a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w h o practices
ingenuity sees sentient beings in any o f the w orlds in the ten directions enjoy
blissful karm ic results, he will think: ‘M ay all sentient beings attain the bliss o f
all-know ing w isdom !’ W hen he sees sentient beings in any o f th e w orlds o f th e ten
directions suffer from painful karm ic results, he will repent their transgressions on
their behalf and adorn him self w ith this great vow: ‘I will undergo all the sentient
beings’ sufferings in their stead, and m ake them h ap p y .’ By this good root, he
hopes to achicve all-knowing w isdom and to relieve the afflictions o f all sentient
beings. Bccause o f this, [he and all those sentient beings] will be completely free
from all suffering and can enjoy pure bliss. This is the ingenuity practiced by a
Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
 On the P a ra m it a of In g e n u it y 429

‘‘M oreover, good m an, w hen a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w ho practices in­

genuity pays hom age to one Buddha, respects him, makes offerings to him, h o n ­
ors him, or praises him, the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva will think: ‘All Tathagatas
share the same dharm adhatu and D harm a-body; they share the sam e discipline,
m editation, w isdom , liberation, and the know ledge and awareness derived from
liberation.，W ith this in m ind, he will k n o w that to pay hom age to one Buddha,
respect him , m ake offerings to him, h o n o r him, or praise him is to do so to all
Buddhas. For this reason, he can m ake offerings5 in this way to all the B uddhas in
the w orlds o f the ten directions. This is the ingenuity practiced by a Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva.
“Furtherm ore, good man, a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w h o practices inge­
nuity should not feel inferior if he is slow to learn. Even if he is conversant with
only a four-line stanza, he should think: ‘If one understands the meaning o f one
four-line stanza, he understands all B uddha-D harm as, because all B u d d h a-D h ar­
mas are comprised in the meaning o f this stanza.’ W hen he thoroughly know s this,
he will spare no effort to explain the stanza to others widely, out o f kindness and
compassion, w hether he is in a city or in a village. H e does so w ithout seeking
material gains, reputation, or praise. H e will vow: ‘I will cause others to hear this
four-line stanza.’ B y this good root and skillful vow , he will cause all sentient
beings to be as well-learned as Ananda and to acquire the eloquence o f a Tathagata.
This is the ingenuity practiced by a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“ Furtherm ore, good man, if a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w h o practices inge­
nuity is b orn in such a poor family that he has to beg for food, and if he obtains
only a handful o f food and gives it to a m onk, he will not be ashamed o f this.
Instead, he will think: ‘Just as the B uddha says, ‘‘T o develop a great m ind is better
than to give material gifts." Although I give so little, I give it w ith an aspiration
for all-know ing wisdom, hoping that I shall, by this good root, achieve all­
k now ing w isdom and cause all sentient beings to acquire precious hands like the
T ath a g a ta's/ For this reason, he is fully endow ed w ith the blessings o f giving,
discipline, and m editation. This is the ingenuity practiced by a Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva.
“ Furtherm ore, good man, w h en a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w h o practices
ingenuity sees Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas obtain m any offerings and much
profit, respect, and praise, he will console him self w ith this thought: ‘Because
there are Bodhisattvas there arc Tathagatas, and because there are Tathagatas there
are Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas.6 A lthough Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas ac­
quire profit and offerings, I am still superior to them. W hat they eat belongs to m y
father;7 w hy should I covet it?’ This is the ingenuity practiced by a Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva.
“Furtherm ore, good man, a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w ho practices inge- '
nuity can cultivate all the six paramitas while practicing [the paramita of] giving.
H ow ? G o od m an, a Bodhisattva w h o practices ingenuity will not be miserly but
will be generous w hen he sees a beggar. This is the param ita o f giving.
430 O n Skillful M eans

‘‘H e him self keeps the precepts and makes offerings to those w h o keep the
precepts; he persuades those w h o have b roken the precepts to observe the precepts,
and then bestow s offerings upon them . This is the paramita o f discipline.8
“H e rids him self o f hatred, practices kindness and compassion, and, w ith an
undefiled m ind, benefits sentient beings by impartially giving th em alms. This is
the param ita oPpatienc^-
“W hile giving food and drink and medicine, he is full of vigor in m in d and
body, w h eth er he is going or com ing, advancing or stopping, bending or stretch­
ing, looking up or looking dow n. This is the paramita o f vigor.
‘‘After he has practiced giving, his m ind becom cs tranquil, checrful, and
undistracted. This is the param ita o f meditation.
“After giving, he analyzes these matters: W ho is the giver? W ho is the
recipient? W ho is the one w ho receives the karmic results? After contemplating
these, he finds that there is no giver, no recipient, and no one w h o will receivc the
karm ic results. This is the paramita o f w isdom .
“G o od man, a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w ho cultivates ingenuity can in this
w ay fulfill the six paramitas w hen he practices giving•” )
Then, Bodhisattva Superior W isdom said to the Buddha, ‘‘Marvelous, W orld-
H o no red One! A Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w h o practices giving w ith ingenuity is
able to acquirc all B uddha-D harm as and attract all sentient beings into his follow­
ing by his giving. ”
T he B uddha told Bodhisattva Superior W isdom, ‘‘G ood man, it is ju st as
you say. E v en w hen a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w h o practices ingenuity gives only
a little, he obtains immeasurable, countless blessings and merits by virtue o f his
ing en u ity.”
The B uddha told Bodhisattva Superior W isdom further, ‘‘G ood man, even
w hen a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva has reached the stage o f nonregression, he still
practices giving skillfully. This is the ingenuity practiced by a Bodhisattva.
“ G ood m an, som etim es bad people m ay urge a Bodhisattva [to forsake
sentient beings], saying, ‘W hy do you stay in sariisara for such a long time? You
m ay enter nirvaiia early, in this life.’ T he Bodhisattva should leave them as soon as
he hears this, thinking, ‘I have adorned m yself w ith the great vo w to teach and
convert all sentient beings, and these people are trying to stop me. If I do not stay
in sarhsara, h o w can I tcach and convert incalculable num bers o f sentient beings?”
B odhisattva Superior W isdom asked the Buddha, ‘‘W orld-H onored O ne,
w hat if a sentient being com m its the .■four heavy transgressions9 bccause o f er­
roneous thoughts?”
T h e B uddha told Bodhisattva Superior W isdom, ‘‘G ood man, if a B odhi­
sattva w h o is a m o n k com m its the four heavy transgressions becausc o f erroneous
thoughts, [another] Bodhisattva well versed in ingenuity can purge him o f all his
sins. I also say that [actually] no one com m its transgressions or receives karm ic
results.” 1"
Bodhisattva Superior W isdom asked the Buddha, ‘‘W orld-H onored One,
w hen does a Bodhisattva com m it transgressions?”
 O n the P a r a m it a o f In g e n u it y 431

T h e B uddha replied to B odhisattva Superior W isdom , ‘‘G ood man, if a

Bodhisattva harbors the view o f the D h arm a held by Sravakas and Pratyckabud-
dhas, then he com m its heavy,transgressions, even if he keeps the Pratimoksa pre­
cepts, has eaten only fruits and grass' for hundreds o f thousands o f kalpas,11 and is
able to tolerate the good and bad w ords uttered by sentient beings. G ood man, ju st
as Sravakas cannot enter nirvana in this life if they co m m it heavy transgressions, so
Bodhisattvas cannot attain suprem e enlightenm ent if they continue, w ith o u t re ­
pentance, to harbor the view o f D harm a held by Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas.
[As long as they think thus,] it is absolutely impossible for such Bodhisattvas to
acquire the B u d d h a-D h a rm a .’’
Then the Venerable A nanda said to the Buddha, "W orld-H onored O ne, this
m orning when I begged for food from d oor to door in Sravasti, I saw Bodhisattva
King H o no red by All sit on the same couch with a w o m a n .”
As soon as A nanda uttered these w ords, quakes o f six kinds shook the great
earth. F rom the assembly Bodhisattva King H o no red by All ascended in midair to
the height o f seven palm trees ^oqe above another and asked Ananda, “Venerable
one, h o w can an offender stay in midair? Ananda, you m ay ask the W orld-
H onored O n e this: ‘W hat is a transgression, and w hat is not a transgression ?’，，
Then, Ananda, kneeling on his right knee and clasping the Buddha's feet
with his hands, said woefully, “W o rld-H onored One, now I repent m y fault: I
slandered such a great g ian t,12 saying he was an offender; I found fault with this
great Bodhisattva. W orld-H onored One, n o w I repent m y w rongdoing. M ay the
W orld-H onored O n e accept m y sincere repentance!”
T he B uddha told Ananda, ‘‘You should not find fault with great B odhi­
sattvas o f the M ahayana. Ananda, you Sravakas practice in a secluded placc the
m editation leading to ultimate quiescence and cut o ff all passions w ithout hin­
drance. H ow ever, Ananda, a Bodhisattva w h o practices ingenuity has achieved a
m ind so inclined to all-know ing w isdom that, though he may even am use him self
w ith maids o f h o n o r in a palace, he will not be affectcd by d em o n s’ influences and
various hindrances, and he will attain suprem e enlightenment. Why? Bccausc,
Ananda, w hen enjoying pleasures w ith sentient beings, the Bodhisattvas w h o prac­
tice ingenuity, w ithout exception, all persuade them to pursue supreme enlighten­
m ent th ro ug h the Three Jewels. Ananda, as long as good m en and good w o m en
w ho learn the Mahayana are not apart from the aspiration for all-know ing wis­
dom , they can am use themselves w ith the five delightful sensuous pleasures w hen
they encounter th e m .13 Ananda, you should think: ‘Such Bodhisattvas 丨cultivate]
the root that leads to T athagatahood.555
T he B uddha said to Ananda further, “N o w , listen attentively. W hy did
Bodhisattva-M ahasattva King H onored by All sit on a couch w ith that w om an?
Ananda, that w o m an has been the wife o f Bodhisattva King H o no red by All for
five hundred lifetimes. Because o f past habit, she was attached to Bodhisattva
King H o no red by All and could not tear herself away from him w h enever she saw
him. Bodhisattva King H onored by All has aw esom e virtues and handsom e features
bccause o f the p o w e r o f his discipline. A t the sight o f him, that w o m an was over­
432 O n Sk illfu l M eans

w helm ed w ith joy. Alone, in a secluded place, she thought, ‘If Bodhisattva King
H o n o red by All can sit on the same couch w ith me, I shall bring forth bodhicitta. ’
“Ananda, at that time, Bodhisattva King H onored b y All read that w o m a n ’s
m ind. O n the following m orning, clad in a m onastic robe and holding a bow l in
his hands, he begged for food from d oor to door in SravastI. W hen he arrived at
that w o m a n ’s house, he entered it, thinking at oncc: ‘T he inner carth-clcmcnt and
the outer carth-clement are one and the sam e,’14 H e took the w o m a n ’s hand and sat
together w ith her on the couch w ith a m ind [as steady] as the earth. Seated on the
couch, Bodhisattva King H onored by All spoke in verse:

‘T h e Tathagata disapproves o f
Indulgence in desires.
O n e w ho is free from desires and lust
C an becom e a Teacher o f G ods and H u m an s.’”

w helm ed w ith joy. Immediately, she rose from her seat, prostrated herself with
her head at the feet o f Bodhisattva King H onored by All, and spoke in verse:

‘I will uproot m y lust and desires,

W hich the Buddhas dccry;
For one w h o is free from desires and lust
C an becom e a Teacher o f G ods and H u m a n s.’

“ H aving spoken this verse, she said: ‘I should repent having had an im proper
desire.’ Right then, she engendered a proper desire: she b ro u g h t forth bodhicitta
for the benefit o f all sentient beings.”
T he B uddha told Ananda, "A fter Bodhisattva King H onored b y All had
influenced that w o m an to bring forth bodhicitta, he rose from his seat and left.
Ananda, see w hat blissful results that w o m an will receive from her devotion: I, as
an A ll-K now ing O ne, prcdict that th e w o m a n will changc from a female into a
male when her present life ends, and that she will make offerings to incalculable
hundreds o f thousands o f B uddhas for ninety-nine kalpas. After perfecting all
B uddha-D harm as, she will bccom c a B uddha nam ed Tathagata Free o f Stain and
Defilement, the W orthy O ne, the A ll-K now ing One. W hen that B uddha attains
the p ath ,15 not a single person [in his world] will cherish nonvirtuous intentions.
Ananda, you should k n o w that w hen a Bodhisattva w ho practices ingenuity at­
tracts people into his following, they will never fall to the three miserable planes of
existence. ”
Thereupon, Bodhisattva King Honored by All descended from midair, bow ed
d o w n w ith his head at the B u d d h a’s feet, and said to the Buddha, tlW orld-
H ono rcd One, suppose, out o f great compassion for a person and in order to cause
him to accumulatc w holesom e dharmas, a Bodhisattva w h o practiccs ingenuity
 O n the P a r a m it a of In g h n u it y 433

apparently or actually com m its misdeeds serious enough for him to fall to the great
hells and rem ain there for hundreds o f thousands o f kalpas. Then, his virtuous
vo w not to forsake a single person w ould enable him to bear all the evils and
sufferings o f the hells.”
T hen the W orld -H o n o red O n e praised Bodhisattva King H onored b y All,
saying, “ Excellent, excellent! G o o d man, a Bodhisattva w h o has achieved such a
compassionate m ind com m its no heavy transgressions, even if he enjoys the five
sensuous pleasures. H e is free from all transgressions and from all karm as leading
to the miserable planes o f existence.
“G ood man, I rem em ber that in the past, countless kalpas ago and more,
there was a brahmacarin nam ed Constellation. H e cultivated pure conduct in
a secluded forest for four billion tw o hundred million years. W hen he came
out o f the forest, he entered the city called Ultimate Bliss, and encountered a
w o m an there. At the sight o f this handsom e brahmacarin, the w o m a n ’s passion
was aroused. She w en t to him immediately, clasped his feet w ith her hands, and
prostrated herself on the ground.
“G o od man, then the brahm acarin asked the w om an, ‘W hat do you want,
sister?’
“T h e w o m an answ ered, ‘I w ant you, brahm acarin.!
“T h e brahm acarin said, ‘I do not indulge in desire, sister•’
“T h e w o m an said, ‘If you do not consent to my dem and, I shall die .，
“G o od man, at that time, the brahmacarin Constellation thought: ‘T hat is
not proper for m e to do, especially at this time. I have cultivated pure conduct for
four billion two hundred million years. H ow can I destroy it n o w ?’
“Thus, th e brahm acarin forced him self to leave her, b u t after he had walked
seven steps away, he felt pity for her and thought, ‘I can endure the pain o f the
hells if I fall to them because o f breaking the precepts, but I cannot bear to see this
w o m an suffer so much. I will not let her die for m e .’
“G o od man, w ith this thought in m ind, the brahm acarin went back to the
w om an. H e took her w ith his right hand and said, ‘Stand up, please. You m ay do
as you like. ’
“G o od man, the brahm acarin was married to her for twelve years. After
that, he left the household life and im m ediately regained the four immeasurables.
H e was reborn in the B rahm a Heaven after death.
“G ood m an, have no doubt. T he brahmacarin o f that tim e was no other than
m yself [in a form er life]. T hat w o m an was G o pa16 o f today.
“G ood man, because at that time I took compassion on that w o m an w h o
was engulfed in desire, I skipped the suffering o f one million aeons o f sariisara.
“G o od man, you see, sentient beings fall to the hells becausc o f their lust
and desires, but a Bodhisattva w h o practices ingenuity is reb o rn in the Brahm a
H eaven [even if he indulges in lust and desire]. This is the ingenuity practiced by
a B odhisattva.”
The B u d d h a told Bodhisattva Superior W isdom further, “G o od man, if
434 O n Skillful M eans

Sariputra and M aham audgalyayana had practiced ingenuity, they w ould not have
let [M onk] U ntim ely fall to the hells.17 Why? G ood man, I rem em ber that in the
Era o f K rakucchanda Buddha, there was a m o n k nam ed Undefiled w h o stayed in a
cavc in a secluded forest, not far from where five rsis lived. O ne day, dense clouds
suddenly gathered and soon it rained heavily. At that time, a p o o r girl was caught
w alking in the heavy rain. Cold, poorly dressed, and frightened, she entered the
cave w here M o n k Undefiled lived. W hen the rain stopped, M o n k Undefiled came
out o f the cave together w ith the girl. W hen the five rsis saw this, their m inds
bccame perverted and they said to one another, ‘M onk Undefiled is deceptive and
crooked. H e has com m itted an im pure deed.’
“A t that time, kn o w ing the thoughts o f the five rsis, M onk U ndefiled
ascended in midair to the height o f seven palm trees one above another. W hen the
five rsis saw M o n k Undefiled ascend in midair, they said to one another, 'A ccord­
ing to the books and scriptures w c have read, a person cannot asccnd in midair if
he has com m itted im pure deeds, b u t he can if he has cultivated pure deeds.’
“T h en the five rsis threw themselves full-length on the ground before M o n k
Undefiled, joined their palms, and repented their misdeeds, not daring to hide
th e m .”
T he B uddha continued to Bodhisattva Superior W isdom , “G ood m an, if
M o n k Undefiled had n o t resorted to the skillful means o f ascending in m idair at
that time, the five rsis w ould have fallen bodily to the hells right then. G ood m an,
w h o w as M o n k Undefiled? H e was no other th an Bodhisattva M aitreya [in a
form er life].
‘‘G o o d m an, now you should know , if Sariputra and M aham audgalyayana
had resorted to skillful m eans such as ascending in midair, M o n k U ntim ely w ould
not have fallen to the hells. G ood m an, n o w you should k n o w that Sravakas and
Pratyekabuddhas do not have the ingenuity practiced by Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas.
“G o od m an, as an illustration, consider a prostitute. She has sixty-four
seductive wiles; for exam ple, to obtain w ealth and treasures, she m ay coax a m an
into generously giving her his valuables by pretending that she is going to m arry
him, and then she drives him aw ay w ith o ut regret w h en she has obtained the
precious objects. Similarly, good man, a Bodhisattva w h o practices ingenuity can
use his skill according to [particular] circumstances; he teaches and converts all
sentient beings by manifesting him self in form s they like and by freely giving them
everything they need, even his body. For the sake o f sentient beings, he delights in
creating roots o f virtue w ith o u t expecting any blissful karmic results. As soon as
he k n o w s that the sentient beings [he teaches] are cultivating g o o d roots and will
n ot regress, he abandons w itho u t the least attachm ent the five sensuous pleasures
which he pretended to enjoy.
“G o od m an , as an illustration, consider a black bee. A lthough it enjoys the
fragrances o f all flowers, it does not think o f taking up an abode in or becom ing
attached to any flower, n o r does it take aw ay the petals, stalk, or scent o f any
flow er w h en it leaves. In like m anner, good man, a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w h o
 O n th e P a ra m ita o f In g e n u ity 435

practices ingenuity plunges himself into the five sensuoub pleasures in order to
convert sentient beings, but, seeing that dharmas are im perm anent, he does not
think the five sensuous pleasures arc perm anent, and so has no love for th e m .18 He
hurts neither him self n o r others.
“G o od m an, as an illustration, consider a small seed. W hen it produces
sprouts, it docs not lose its original qualities19 and producc som ething alien to its
nature. Similarly, good man, th o u g h a Bodhisattva m ay have defilements and
am use him self w ith the five sensuous pleasures, still, because he has the w isdom -
seed o f emptiness, signlessness, nonaction, and nonself w ithin him, he will not fall
to th e miserable planes o f existence, lose th e qualities o f his good roots, or regress
[from the pursuit o f suprem e enlightenment].
“G o od m an, as an illustration, consider a fisherman. He rubs his net with
bait and casts it into a deep river; w hen his wishes are fulfilled, he hauls it out. In
the same way, good man, a Bodhisattva w h o practices ingenuity cultivates his
m ind w ith the w isdom o f emptiness, signlessness, nonaction, and nonself. He
knits a net o f this w isdom , rubs it w ith the bait o f aspiration for all-know ing
wisdom, and casts it into the filthy mire o f the five desires. W hen his wishes are
fulfilled, he hauls it out o f the Realm o f Desire. A t the end o f his life he is reborn
in the Brahma Heaven.
“G o o d m an, as an illustration, consider a m an well-versed in spells. If he is
caught by an official and b o u n d with five cords, he will, by the po w er o f his
incantation, soon break the cords and go aw ay at will. In the sam e way, g ood
man, th o u g h a Bodhisattva-M ahasattva w h o practices ingenuity joins sentient b e ­
ings and am uses h im se lf w ith the five sensuous pleasures, he does so in order to
deliver those beings. When his object is attained, he will, by the spell o f all­
k now ing w isdom , break the bondage o f the five sensuous pleasures and be reborn
in the B rahm a Heaven.
“G ood m an, as an illustration, consider a fighter, w h o hides the sharp knife
he carries and escorts a group o f travellers. N o n e o f the travellers k n o w this m a n ’s
secret stratagem . T h ey despise and pity him, show ing no respect, and say to one
another, ‘H e has no w eap o n and no partner, and is not even stro n g or powerful.
H e cannot save even him self from danger; h o w can he help others? It is absolutely
impossible for him to defeat any robber. H e will certainly run into trouble.’ When
a pack o f robbers suddenly appears from an uninhabited marsh, the fighter stands
ground firm ly and at once draws out the hidden knife. With one stroke, he kills all
the robbers, and th en he again hides the knife he carries. In like m anner, good
m an, a Bodhisattva w h o practices ingenuity hides well his knife o f w isdom and
joins sentient beings, am using him self w ith the five sensuous pleasures as a skillful
m eans to convert those beings. W hen people w h o do not k now this to be a skillful
m eans see the Bodhisattva am use him self w ith the pleasures, they becom e defiled
in m ind, pity him, and think him to be dissipated, saying, ‘Such a person cannot
save even him self fro m sarhsara, let alone all sentient beings. It is absolutely
impossible for him to defeat d em o n s.’ H ow ever, the Bodhisattva is skilled at using
436 O n S k illfu l M eans

ingenuity and the knife o f wisdom. W hen he has attained his object [of converting
sentient beings], he will, by the knife o f wisdom, eradicate all afflictions and reach
a pure B uddha-land w here there are no w o m en and no thoughts o f desire.” j
At the time [the B uddha was preaching,] a Bodhisattva nam ed Loving Deed
was begging for food from d oor to door in Sravasti, gradually approaching the
h o m e o f an elder. T he elder had a daughter nam ed Increasing Virtue, w h o lived in
a high tow er. T h e m aiden took som e food and w en t out to w ard Bodhisattva
Loving D eed as soon as she heard his voice. W hen she saw the Bodhisattva,
she became attached to his handsom e appearance and fine voicc, and her passion
w as at once aroused. Burning w ith desire, she died on the spot, and hef bones
disintegrated.
Bodhisattva Loving D eed also had sensual craving for Increasing Virtue
w hen he saw her. H o w ever, at that very m om ent, he thought, ‘‘W hat is that? T hat
is attachment. W hat is that eye [of hers]? W hat is this eye [of mine]? T h e eye
is insensible by nature and is nothing but a lum p o f flesh. It neither loves nor
know s, neither thinks n o r feels, discriminates nothing, and is em pty by nature.
T he same is true o f the ear, nose, tongue, body, and m in d .” H e contem plated
mem branes, skin, blood, flesh, fat, hair, pores, nails, teeth, bones, m arrow , sinews,
and veins. H e contem plated everything from head to foot and found that no [part
o f the body], internal or external, is w o rth y o f craving, attachment, aversion,
or delusion. W hen he had corrcctly observed all these dharmas, he was freed from
desire and achieved th e Realization o f th e N onarising o f D h arm as.20 O v erw h elm ed
w ith jo y , he asccndcd in midair to the height o f a palm tree, and circled SravastT
seven times.
W hen the W orld -H o n o red O n e saw Bodhisattva Loving Deed fly u nhin­
dered in the air like a king o f swans, he asked Ananda, “Ananda, do you see
Bodhisattva Loving D eed fly unhindered in the air like a king o f swans?”
A nanda answ ered, "Yes, I d o .”
T he B uddha told Ananda, "Bodhisattva Loving Deed contem plated the dhar­
mas w hen his carnal desire was aroused, and at that m o m en t defeated dem ons. He
will turn the D h arm a-w h ccl.”
Increasing Virtue was im m ediately reborn after death as a male in the H eaven
o f the T hirty-T hree. Suddenly, he found himself living in a palace m ade o f the
seven treasures, twelve leagues square. H e was attended by fourteen thousand
celestial maidens. K now ing his previous life, D evaputra Increasing Virtue investi­
gated his past karm a, asking himself, “W hat karm a caused m y rebirth in this place?”
T h en he rem em bered that he had been the daughter o f an elder in SravastT, w hose
carnal desire had been aroused by seeing Bodhisattva Loving Deed. W ith her
desire raging, she had died im m ediately and changed from a female into a male.
Bccause o f this event, she acquired vast m iraculous pow ers.21
T hen D evaputra Increasing Virtue thought: “I received this result bccause of
m y carnal desire [for Bodhisattva Loving Deed]. N o w , I should respect him and
 O n th e P a ra m ita of In g e n u ity 437

make offerings to him with a pure m ind. It is not fitting for m e to enjoy the five
[heavenly] sensuous pleasures here first.”
W ith this resolution, h e dccided to go to see the Tathagata and Bodhisattva
Loving Deed, in order to pay hom age and m ake offerings to them . Therefore, at
nightfall he and his retinue came to the place w here the B uddha was staying,
bearing celestial, fragrant flowers, perfum ed ointm ent, and pow dered incense.
Illuminating the Jeta G rove w ith their o w n lights, they approached the W orld-
H o n o red O n e and Bodhisattva Loving Deed. T hey offered the B uddha the cclestial
flowers, perfum ed ointm ent, and pow dered incense; bow ed d o w n w ith their heads
at the B u d d h a’s feet; m ade three circumambulations to the right o f the Buddha,
B odhisattva Loving Deed, and the assembly; and join ed their palm s to w ard the
Buddha. T hen D evaputra Increasing Virtue spoke in verse:

“Inconceivable is the H o n o red O n e am ong gods and humans;

Inconceivable are the B odhisattva’s deeds.
T he D h arm a o f the T athagata is inconceivable,
As is the R en ow n ed O n e himself.
In my previous life, in Sravasti,
I was an elder’s daughter
N am ed Increasing Virtue.
I was young and pretty then,
Cherished and protected by m y parents.
W e never jested at the Tathagata, the W orld-H onored One.
O n e day, the B u d d h a’s son22 Loving Deed,
W ho had great, aw esom e virtue,
Approachcd m y father’s house
W hile begging for food in Sravasti.
I was filled w ith great joy
W hen I heard his fine voice.
A t once, I took som e food
A nd w ent out tow ard Bodhisattva Loving Deed,
Son o f the Tathagata
A nd cultivator o f the great mind.
W hen I found the Bodhisattva so handsom e and elegant,23
M y m ind was defiled with desire for him.
I th o u g h t, ‘If m y desire is not fulfilled,
I shall die instantly.’
I could not utter a w o rd then,
N o r could I give him the food I held in m y hand,
438 O n Skillfu l M eans

For the depths of m y heart were burning

W ith aroused carnal desire.
M y body was inflamed w ith heat,
A nd thereupon I died.
W ithin the span o f a flash o f thought
After m y death, I was born
In the H eaven o f the T hirty-Three,
Changed from a lowly girl
Into a male god praised by mankind.
A superb, w onderful palace spontaneously appeared,
Full o f marvelous, precious treasures.
Fourteen thousand beautiful w o m en
Became m y retinue.
This event prom pted me
T o examine m y past lives at once
By contem plation fin solitude].
Then, I kn ew the reason [for m y rebirth]:
It was the result
O f m y carnal desire—
Because I had gazed at Bodhisattva Loving Deed
W ith a passionate mind.
Because I saw the Bodhisattva,
I obtained the light o f joy;
T h e b rig h t flames n o w radiating from m y body
Are caused by that karma.
Even carnal desire [for a Bodhisattva]
C an produce such a [blissful] result,
Let alone m aking offerings to him
W ith a virtuous mind.
I do not wish to seek the two vehicles;
W hat I want, only the B uddha can tell.
N ow , in the presence o f the W o rld -H o n o red One,
I v o w to seek all-know ing w isdom .
I will not regress in pursuing B uddha-w isdom
E ven if I m ust practice for kalpas
As num erous as the sands o f the Ganges.
I have m et a good friend, Bodhisattva Loving Deed;
N o w I w ant to m ake true offerings to him.
 O n th e P a ra m ita o f In g e n u ity 439

O n ly one offering is true:

T o bring forth bodhicitta.
T o cultivate bodhi
Is the supreme, m ost venerated deed.
I will never look at w o m en w ith lust,
A nd wish to be [forcvcr| free
From a female body thereby.
I say this to the Buddha
W ho has the four fearlessnesses.
W hen m y parents found m e dead and rotten,
T hey w ept with m uch grief, and said
T hat it was due to M o n k Loving Deed.
C om plaining and crying, they scolded the m o n k .”

T h en 24 the Buddha, by his miraculous power, caused the god to go to up­

braid his [former] parents and adm onish them not to blame the m onk, lest they
should undergo sufferings in the long night.
T he god [did so], saying, “Y our daughter Increasing Virtue has been reborn
in the H eaven o f the Thirty-T hree, and has changed from a female into a male. He
has the bod y o f a god, w ith a light shining far and wide. N o w you, his [former]
parents, should go to the W o rld-H onored O n e and repent your maliciousness.
Except for the Tathagata, the Buddha, the W orld-H onored One, there is no one in
w h om you can take refuge.” The god thus admonished his [former] parents w ith a
fearless mind. As soon as they heard the nam e o f Sakyamuni Buddha, they w ent
together to see him. W hen they arrived, they bow ed do w n w ith their heads at the
B u d d h a’s feet and said, ‘‘H onored O n e among gods and hum ans, n o w w e repent
the hatred w e harbored, and pay our respcct to the H onored O ne among hum ans.
‘‘T h e Tathagata k n o w s the questions in our minds. H o w should w e make
offerings to the Buddha, the D harm a, and the Sariigha? H o w should w e perform
and cultivate good deeds? M ay the Buddha tell us! We will practice singlc-mindcdly
according to y o u r instruction.”
K n ow in g that they were determined, the Tcacher o f G ods and H u m an s said,
“If one wishes to m ake offerings to all Buddhas, he should firmly bring forth
bodhicitta. ”
Hearing the Tcachcr o f G ods and H um ans say this, Increasing Virtue, his
[former] parents, and his retinue, five hundred in num ber, all brought forth bo ­
dhicitta and made great vows.
T he B uddha th en told the Venerable Ananda, "N o w , heed m y w ords. T h e
Bodhisattva acts I speak o f are inconccivable. W ith uncxcellcd w isdom and inge­
nuity, Bodhisattva Loving D eed often makes this vow: ‘If a w o m an is seized w ith
lust w hen she sees me, she shall changc into a male at once and w in others ，
respect/
440 O n Skillful M eans

‘‘Ananda, you see how wonderful is the pow er of his virtue. If an ordinary
person perform s a misdeed, he will fall to the miserable planes o f existence; but if a
courageous one [i.e., a Bodhisattva] docs it, he can defeat dem ons thereby and
cause others to be born in heaven as gods.
“N o w D cvaputra Increasing V irtue m akes offerings to m e respectfully. H e is
proceeding tow ard bodhi. After m aking offerings to countlcss W orld-H onored
O nes, he will bccom e a Buddha nam ed G ood View in a future life. T he five
hundred persons here w h o arc m oving tow ard bodhi will also bccom e Buddhas,
Teachcrs o f G ods and H um ans. Buddhas have great merits; w h o w o uld not m ake
offerings to them?
“Those w h o have deep faith in Bodhisattva Loving D eed will acquire im ­
m easurable jo y . It is not one w om an, or tw o or three, but incalculable h u ndreds o f
thousands o f millions o f billions o f w o m e n w h o arc seized w ith carnal desire w h en
they see Bodhisattva Loving Deed, and die immediately, to be reborn as males;
they will becom e great healers w ith w ide ren o w n . W ho docs not esteem such a
Bodhisattva? Even one w ho has carnal desire for such a Bodhisattva can acquirc
jo y , let alone one w h o venerates h im .”

ii

T hen the Venerable Ananda said to the Buddha, “W o rld-H onored One, ju st as
different colors take on the color o f gold w hen they are beside M ount S um eru,2:1 so
sentient beings, w hether they arc wrathful, pure, or mentally defiled with desire,
take on the color o f all-know ing w isdom w hen they stand beside a Bodhisattva.
W o rld -H o n o red O ne, from n o w on I will hold Bodhisattvas in as great esteem as I
do M o u n t Sumeru.
“W orld -H o n o red O ne, there is a mcdicine nam ed ‘All-Seeing’ w hich is an
antidote for all poisons; it will cure all those who take it, w hether they arc wrathful
or pure in m ind. In the same w ay, a Bodhisattva can cure those w h o co m e to him
o f any disease o f desire, hatred, or ignorance, w hether they are wrathful or pure in
m ind. ”
Then the W o rld-H onored O ne praised Ananda, saying, “Excellent, excel­
lent! It is ju st as you say.”
I' M ahakasyapa then said to the Buddha, "M arvelous, W orld-H onored One!
Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas are the suprem e, m ost venerable beings. Bodhisattva-
Mahasattvas cultivate all dhyanas and samadhis, but, after such cultivation, they
again enter the Realm o f Desire to teach and convert sentient beings. A lthough
they practicc emptiness, signlessness, and nonaction26 to convert sentient beings and
to causc them to becom c Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas, still, out o f great kindness
and compassion, they are never apart from the m ind o f all-know ing w isdom .
“W o rld -H o n o red One, inconccivable is the ingenuity w hich Bodhisattva-
 O n th e P a ra m ita of In g e n u ity 441

M ahasattvas practice. They are not attached to forms, sounds, scents, tastes, or
textures, th o u g h they m ay be involved in them.
“ W o rld-H onored O ne, w ith great delight, I will enum erate a few merits o f
the B odhisattva."
The B uddha said to Kasyapa, “Y ou may do as you w ish .”
Kasyapa said, “ W orld-H onored O ne, suppose there is a vast marsh, w hose
inhabitants are afflicted w ith a grievous famine. Surrounding it is a wall high
enough to reach the Realm o f Formlessness. Leading out o f the marsh, in w hich
m any sentient beings live, there is only one gate. N o t far from the marsh, suppose
there is a large city, w hich is rich, happy, prosperous, beautiful, and grand. The
sentient beings w h o enter that city do not suffer from old age, sickncss, or death.
T he only path from the m arsh to that city is one foot w ide and very straight.
‘‘A m o n g the people in the marsh, there is a wise person, w h o suddenly, out
o f great kindness and compassion, decides to give benefit, peace, and jo y to all the
sentient beings there. H e announced loudly in the center o f the marsh, ‘K now that,
not far from here, there is a large city w here m an y gods live, w hich is rich, happy,
prosperous, beautiful, and grand. T h e sentient beings w h o enter that city will not
suffer fro m old age, sickness, or death, and will be able to tcach others the way to
avoid old age, sickncss, and death. You m ay go there w ith me. I shall be y our
guide. ’
“ In the marsh, there arc lowly and inferior sentient beings who wish to
acquire liberation but say, ‘We will accept y our teaching if you can enable us to
live on in the marsh; we will not accept it if you wish us to m ove from here.’
“T h e superior sentient beings there say: ‘We will go with you to that placc.’
H ow ever, after hearing the wise perso n ’s words, other sentient beings in the m arsh
w ho are less fortunate do not believe him and refuse to follow him.
‘‘W orld-H onored O ne, w hen the wise person em erges from the marsh, he
looks around and sees the narro w path, only one foot wide. T o the left and right
o f the path, there arc large pits, hundreds o f thousands o f feet deep. After the wise
person fcnccs both sides o f the path w ith boards, his followers crawl forw ard
w ithout looking left or right; they do not look back even w h en malicious robbers
pursue them and frighten them. Brave and fearless, they proceed gradually along
the road. Finally, they see the city, and then feel assured. After entering the city,
they suffer no m ore from old age, sickncss, or death; furthermore, they can now
benefit countless other sentient beings by teaching them the w ay to avoid old age,
sickness, and death.
“W o rld -H o n ored O ne, the vast m arsh afflicted w ith a grievous famine is the
m arsh o f samsara; the thick, high wall reaching to the Realm o f Formlessness is
ignorance and the craving for cxistcnce; the m an y sentient beings in the m arsh
stand for all the o rdinary persons involved in saiiisara; the only road to that city, the
foot-w ide path, is the O n e Path. T he wise person in the m arsh is a Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva; the low ly and inferior sentient beings w h o wish to acquire liberation
but rem ain in the m arsh arc Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas; the superior sentient
442 O n Skillful M eans

beings w h o say, ‘We will go w ith you to that place’ arc other Bodhisattvas; the
unfortunate sentient beings w ho hear the wise person’s w ords but do not believe
him are the heterodox masters and their disciplcs. T hose w h o cscape from the
marsh are those w ho diligently cultivate the m ind o f all-knowing w isdom ; the
only gate27 leading out o f the m arsh is the gate o f the D harm a-naturc; the huge pits
on the left and right o f the path, w hich are hundreds o f thousands o f feet deep, are
the Sravaka-vehicle and the Pratyekabuddha-vchicle; to fcnce b oth sides o f the path
w ith boards is skillful m eans born o f wisdom. Those w h o crawl forw ard arc
sentient beings attracted to the B uddha-D harm a by Bodhisattvas using the four
inducem ents;28 the malicious robbers w h o pursue and frighten them arc the king o f
dem ons and his subjects, the sentient beings w h o stubbornly hold the sixty-tw o
[wrong] views, and those w ho despise and slander Bodhisattvas. N o t to look back
is to be fully absorbed in the paramita o f paticnce; not to look left or right is not to
praise the Sravaka-vehicle or the Pratyekabuddha-vehiclc; the large city is the m ind
o f all-know ing w isdom . Those w ho, having proceeded gradually along the road,
finally see that city and feel assured are Bodhisattvas w ho, having seen B uddhas
and their deeds, respect the B uddhas，w isdom and aw esom e virtue w ith all their
hearts, learn well the paramita o f wisdom, and gradually acquire the skill to
approach all sentient beings w ith propriety and w ithout misgivings. Those w ho
suffer no m ore from old age, sickncss, and death after entering that city arc
Bodhisattvas w ho benefit countlcss sentient beings (by teaching them the w ay to]
avoid old age, sickness, and death; this way is [the Dharm a] taught by Tathagatas,
the W o rth y Ones, the A ll-K now ing Ones. W orld-H onored One, n o w I pay h o m ­
age to all Bodhisattvas.”
After M ahakasyapa had said this, ten thousand gods and hum ans b rought
forth bodhicitta.
T h en the W orld-H onored O n e praised M ahakasyapa, saying, “Excellent,
excellent! Y ou encourage m any Bodhisattva-M ahasattvas and achievc incalculable
merits. A Bodhisattva-M ahasattva will never perform any deed harm ful to himself
or others, n o r will he utter any w o rd harmful to him self or others.” ■
T h en Bodhisattva-M ahasattva Increasing Virtue asked the Buddha, tlW orld-
H o no red O ne, you say that no Bodhisattva will perform any deed or utter any
w o rd harm ful to himself or others. T hen, W orld-H onored O ne, w hen you w ere a
great brahm acarin nam ed Constellation treading the Bodhisattva-path in the era o f
Kasyapa Buddha, w ith B uddhahood only one life away from yo u , w h y did you
say ‘It is very hard to attain the bodhi-path. H o w can a bald-head [Kasyapa
Buddha] attain it? I do not wish to sec h im ’？ W orld-H onored O ne, w hat is the
meaning o f the w ords you spoke at that time?”29
The B uddha replied to Bodhisattva Increasing Virtue, ‘‘G ood man, do not
doubt Tathagatas o r Bodhisattvas. W hy? Because B uddhas and Bodhisattvas have
achieved inconceivable ingenuity, and they abide in all kinds o f ingenuity to teach
and convert sentient beings. G ood man, heed m y w ords and think well about
them. T h ere is a sutra nam ed T he Paramita o f Ingenuity, w hich I shall explain to
 O n th e P a ra m ita of In g e n u ity 443

you. I also shall reveal to you a few o f the skillful means w hich the Bodhisattva30
has devised gradually since the era o f Diparhkara Buddha.
“G o o d man, the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva acquired the Realization o f the
Nonarising o f D harm as as soon as he saw Diparhkara Buddha. From then on he
has never m ade a mistake; been frivolous, unmindful, or distractcd; or becom e less
wise.
“G ood m an, seven days after the Bodhisattva fulfilled a past v o w by attain­
ing the Realization o f the N onarising o f Dharmas, he could have attained supreme
enlightenm ent, and if he had so desired, he could also have attained it one hundred
kalpas later. For the sake o f sentient beings, the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva was re­
bo rn m any times and, w herever he was, fulfilled all sentient beings，wishes by the
po w er o f his w isdom . O n ly after that did he attain suprem e enlightenment.
‘‘G ood m an, by the po w er o f his ingenuity, the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva has
dwelled in the w orld for countless billions o f kalpas w ithout w o rry or rcpugnance.
This was the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
"Furtherm ore, good man, if a Sravaka entered one o f the dhyanas or sa­
madhis o f the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva, he w ould becomc u nm oved in body and
mind, and think that he had already entered nirvana. H ow ever, w hen the B odhi­
sattva entered any dhyana or samadhi, he bccamc vigorous in body and m ind
instead o f indolent. H e attracted sentient beings into his following by the four
inducements. O u t o f great kindness and compassion, he taught and converted
sentient beings by means o f the six paramitas. This was the ingenuity practiced by
the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“M oreover, good man, w hen the Bodhisattva fulfilled a past v o w by resid­
ing in the palace o f the Tusita Heaven, he could have attained suprem e enlight­
enm ent and turned the D harm a-w heel then. H ow ever, he thought, while in the
Tusita Heaven: ‘People in the w orld cannot ascend to this heaven to hear the
D harm a explained, while gods in the Tusita Heaven can desccnd to the world to
hear the Dharm a ta u g h t.’ Therefore, he left the Tusita Heaven and attained su­
prem e enlightenm ent in this world. This was the ingenuity practiced by the Bo-
dhisattva-M ahasattva.
“Furtherm ore, good man, after the Bodhisattva fulfilled a past vow by co m ­
ing here from the Tusita Heaven, he could have attained suprem e enlightenm ent
w ithout entering his m o th er’s w o m b . H ow ever, if he had not entered his m o th e r’s
w om b, sentient beings w ould have had doubts, saying, ‘W here docs the Bodhi­
sattva come from? Is he a god, a dragon, a ghost, a spirit, a gandharva, or a being
produced by magic?，If they had had such doubts, they could not have heard the
D h arm a explained or devoted themselves to D harm a practice to eradicate their
afflictions. Therefore, the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva did not attain supreme enlight­
enm ent before entering his mother's w om b. 丁his was the ingenuity practiced by
the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“G ood man, do not say that the Bodhisattva really stayed in the w o m b of
his m other. D o not think so. Why? Because the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva actually
444 O n Sk illfu l M eans

did not enter his m o th e r’s w o m b . Why? Because the Bodhisattva had entered the
Undefiled D hyana in the Tusita Heaven; he remained in that dhyana w hen he
descended from the heaven, until the time w hen he sat under the bodhi-tree. T he
gods in the Tusita H eaven th ought that the Bodhisattva’s life had com e to an end
and he would not again return to that heaven, but actually he remained u nm oved
in that heaven all that time. H e appeared to enter the w o m b o f his m other, enjoy
the five sensuous pleasures, leave th e household life, and practicc austerities. All
sentient beings to o k these deeds for real, but to the Bodhisattva, these w ere ju st a
magical display. The Bodhisattva entered the w o m b o f his m other, am used h im ­
self w ith sensuous pleasures, left the household life, and practiced austerities; but
all these w ere a magical display. Why? The Bodhisattva was pure in conduct. H e
did not en ter the w o m b , and so on, bccause he had renounced all these [worldly
actions] long ago. This was the ingenuity practiccd by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“W hy did the Bodhisattva appear to enter his m o th er’s w o m b in the for 作i o f
a w hite elephant?31 G ood man, in the billion-world universe, the Bodhisattva was
the m ost venerable. H aving achieved white, pure dharmas, he appeared to enter
the w o m b in the form o f a w hite elephant. N o god, hum an, ghost, or spirit could
enter a w o m b in this way. This was the ingenuity practiccd by the Bodhisattva-
Mahasattva.
“ W hy did the Bodhisattva stay in his m o th e r’s w o m b for a full ten [lunar]
m o n th s before he was born? G ood man, some sentient beings m ight think: ‘If the
child does not stay in his m o th e r ’s w o m b for a full ten m onths, his body m ay not
be fully developed.’ Therefore, the Bodhisattva appeared to stay in his m o th e r’s
w o m b for a full ten m onths. D uring this period, gods often came close to the
m o th er to show respect for the Bodhisattva and m ake circum am bulations around
him. O nce, the gods saw the Bodhisattva living in a high tow er, surpassing even
those o f the gods, beautifully adorned w ith the seven treasures; seeing this auspi­
cious sign, tw en ty -fo u r thousand gods brought forth bodhicitta. This was the in­
genuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
‘‘W h y did the Bodhisattva enter the w o m b o f his m other th rough her right
side? G o od man, som e sentient beings m ight doubt and say, ‘T h e Bodhisattva is
b o rn o f the com bination o f his father’s sp erm and his m o th er’s egg-cclT; in order
to resolve their doubt and to manifest his miraculous birth, the Bodhisattva en­
tered the w o m b of his m o th er through her right side. T h o u g h he entered [her
body] th ro ug h the side, he [really] entered no place at all. Q ueen M aya experi­
enced then a physical and mental joy that she had never experienced before. This
was the ingenuity practiccd by the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva.
“ W hy was the Bodhisattva born in a secluded place, not at h o m e in the city?
G ood man, the Bodhisattva always delighted in solitude; he praised lonely, solitary
spots in a m ountain forest as good places to cultivate ultimate quiescence. If the
Bodhisattva had been bo rn at ho m e in the city, no god, dragon, ghost, spirit, or
gandharva w ould have com c to offer him fragrant flowers, pow dered inccnse, per­
fum ed ointm ent, and countless hundreds o f thousands o f kinds o f music. All the
 O n th e P ara m ita of In g e n u ity 445

people in Kapila at that time w ere intemperate, unrestrained, and arrogant; they
could not make offerings to the Bodhisattva. Therefore, he was born in a secluded
place, n o t at h o m e in the city. This was the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhi-
sattva-Mahasattva.
“W hy did the B odhisattva’s m other rcach up and hold a branch o f a tred
w hen she gave birth to him? G ood man, sentient beings might suspect that Q ueen
M aya w ent th ro ug h travail w h en she gave birth to the Bodhisattva, ju st as other
w om en do [when they give birth]. In order to show them that she was joyful, she
reached up and held the branch w hen she gave birth to the Bodhisattva. This was
the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“ W hy did the Bodhisattva com e into the w orld w ith right mindfulness
th ro ug h the right side o f his m other, not through any other part o f her body?
G o od man, the pure deeds o f the Bodhisattva w ere supreme, the m ost venerable in
the great billion-w orld universe; he did not enter th e female organ, or come out o f
it. O n ly a Bodhisattva w h o will b eco m e a B uddha in his next life can perform such
a feat, not any other cultivator o f pure conduct. H ence, the Bodhisattva came into
the w o rld th ro u g h his m o th e r ’s right side. T h o u g h he was born thus, he [really]
came from now here, ju st as [he entered no place] in his pure conccption described
before. This was the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“W hy was it Sakra, not any other god, w ho received the Bodhisattva w ith a
precious garm ent when he was born? Because, good man, Sakra m ade this vow in
the past: ‘W hen the Bodhisattva is born, I will receivc him w ith a precious garm ent
because o f his w onderful good roots. This will cause other gods to have m ore faith
in the Bodhisattva, m ore rcspect for him, and to m ake m ore offerings to h im .’
This was the ingenuity practiced by th^—Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“ W hy did the Bodhisattva w alk seven steps, not six or eight, imm ediately
after he was born? G o od m an, the Bodhisattva doubtless had great miraculous
powers, vigor, and the auspicious signs o f a great man, and he wished to show
sentient beings a manifestation that no one else could make. If it had been m ore
beneficial to sentient beings to w alk six steps than to w alk seven steps, the B odhi­
sattva w ould have w alked six steps. If it had been m ore benefi cial to sentient beings
to w alk eight steps than to walk seven steps, the Bodhisattva w ould have walked
eight steps. Since it was m ost beneficial to sentient beings to w alk seven steps, he
walked seven steps, not six or eight, w ith no one supporting h im .32 This was the
ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva.
“W hy did the Bodhisattva say after he had, walked seven steps, ‘I am su­
preme, the m ost venerable in the world; I am free from old age, sickness, and
d e a th ’？G o od m an, at that tim e, in the assembly [which beheld his birth], Sakra,
Brahm a, and o th er gods w ere very p roud and had claimed, ‘I am the m ost vener­
able in the w o rld .，Since they were arrogant and conceited, they had no respect for
anyone. At that time, the Bodhisattva thought: T h e gods are arrogant; because of
this, they will fall to the three miserable planes o f existence in the long n ig h t.’
Consequently, he said, ‘I am suprem e, the most venerable in the w orld. I am free
446 O n S k il l f u l M e a n s

from old age, sickness, and death.’ W hen he said that, his voice was heard in the
entire billion-w orld universe. T hose gods w h o had not com e [to see him] at the
tim e o f his birth all came w h en they heard this voice. T hen the gods o f the Realm
o f Desire and the Realm o f Form joined their palms rcspcctfully and paid hom age
to the Bodhisattva. T hey said to one another, ‘H o w marvelous!，This is w h y the
Bodhisattva spoke truthfully after he walked seven steps, saying, ‘I am supreme,
the m ost venerable in the w orld. I am free from old age, sickness, and death.’ This
was the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“W hy did the Bodhisattva laugh loudly after he had walked seven steps?
G ood man, he laughed not because o f desire, arrogance, or frivolity. At that time,
the Bodhisattva thought: ‘N o w these sentient beings [who have com e to see me]
have desire, hatred, ignorance, and other afflictions, as they have had in their past
lives. ] previously persuaded them to bring forth bodhicitta. N o w I have already
reachcd accomplishm ent, but they are still in sariisara, the ocean o f suffering, w ith
their afflictions unsevered, because they have been idle and negligent. These sen­
tient beings and I b ro u g h t forth bodhicitta at the same time. N o w I have already
attained enlightenm ent,33 but they are still in sarhsara, the ocean o f suffering, be­
cause they have been idle and negligent. These inferior sentient beings, out o f
desire for material gains, neglected to m ake vigorous efforts to pursue all-knowing
w isdom . N o w they are still in a position o f paying homage and m aking offerings
to me. In the past, I took great compassion on them [and vow ed to attain en­
lightenm ent to deliver them]; n o w I have fulfilled m y v o w .’ It was for this reason
that the Bodhisattva laughed loudly. This was the ingenuity practiccd by the
Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“W hen the Bodhisattva was b o m , his body was immaculate; w h y did Sakra
and B rahm a bathe him? G ood man, because the B odhisattva w ished to cause the
heavenly subjects o f Sakra and B rahm a to m ake offerings, and because convention
demands that a new b o rn baby be bathed, he caused Sakra and Brahma to w ash his
body, th ough it was immaculate. This was the ingenuity practiced by the B odhi­
sattva-Mahasattva.
“W hy did the Bodhisattva go to the palacc after he was born in the secluded
place, instead o f going imm ediately to the bodhi-site? G ood man, in order to let
his organs fully develop, he appeared to live in the palace and am use him self w ith
the five sensuous pleasures; then he appeared to give up the four continents and
leave the household life.34 Also, in order to convert other people so that they m ay
abandon the five sensuous pleasures, shave their beards and hair, d o n monastic
robes, and leave the household life, the Bodhisattva w ent ho m e instead o f going
immediately to the bodhi-site after he was born in the secluded place.35 This was
the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
"W hy did Q ueen M aya die seven days after the Bodhisattva was born? G ood
man, Q ueen M aya died simply because her life had com e to an end; it was not
the Bodhisattva’s fault. G ood man, w hen the Bodhisattva was still in the Tusita
H eaven, he saw w ith his deva-eye that Q ueen M aya had only ten m onths and
 On th e P a ra m ita of In g en u ity 447

seven days to live in the w orld. It was then that he descended from the Tusita
H eaven to be reborn here, k now ing already by his ingenuity that Q ueen M aya
w ould soon die.36 Therefore, it was not his fault. This was the ingenuity practiced
by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“W hy did the Bodhisattva thorou g h ly learn reading, debating, chess, ar­
chery, chariot-driving, strategy, planning, and various arts and techniques? Be­
cause, good man, he wanted to follow mundane conventions. There was nothing
in the billion-w orld universe w hich the Bodhisattva did not know . W hen he was
born, he was already conversant w ith all such things as poetry, spcech, debate,
incantation, drama, singing, dancing, music, and craftsmanship. This was the
ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“W hy did the Bodhisattva take a wife and concubines? G ood man, the
Bodhisattva did not do so out o f desire. W hy? Because he was a m an free o f desire.
If he had n ot appeared to have a wife and concubines at that time, sentient beings
m ight have said, ‘T he Bodhisattva is not a m a n .’ If they had had such suspicion,
they w o uld have co m m itted a very great transgression. Therefore, in order to
forestall their suspicion, the Bodhisattva appeared to m arry a w o m an o f the Sakya
clan and beget Rahula. If a person says that Rahula was born o f the union between
his father and mother, [he is w rong;] he should not view the event in this way.
T h e fact is that as soon as his life in heaven ended, Rahula cam e d o w n from heaven
and entered the w o m b o f his m other. H e was not born o f the union between his
father and m o th er.37 Besides, Rahula had previously m ade a v o w to be the son o f a
Bodhisattva who w ould attain Buddhahood in that lifetime.
“In the era o f D ipam kara Buddha, G opa38 said, ‘I hope that from n o w on,
this brahm acarin will be m y husband and I will be his wife, even in the lifetime in
w hich he will attain B u d d h ah o o d .，At that time, the Bodhisattva, after receiving
seven blue lotus flowers [from her], said, ‘T h o ug h I do not w ant to accept this
gift, I will n o w gratify the wishes o f this good w o m a n .’ After he said that, she was
never apart from the good root o f having offered the seven flowers. Hcnce, the
Bodhisattva took that w o m an for his wife.
“Furtherm ore, the Bodhisattva, w h o w ould attain B u d d h ah o o d in that life­
time, appeared to stay w ith the ladies in the palacc. At that time, the Bodhisattva
had a w onderful body and the gods m ade offerings to him, but he finally left the
household life. Seeing all these things clearly, the w om an o f the Sakya clan39 brought
forth bodhicitta and made this v o w sincerely: ‘M ay I [also] achieve such things!’
H encc, it was in order to cause G opa to bring forth bodhicitta that the Bodhisattva
took her for his wife.
“M oreover, there are great-m inded sentient beings w h o lead the life o f lay­
m en and enjoy the five sensuous pleasures, w ealth, treasures, the service o f atten­
dants, and the company o f household m em bers. In order to causc these beings to
give up the lay life, the five sensuous pleasures, and so on, and to leave the
household life, the Bodhisattva first appeared to stay at ho m e enjoying the five
sensuous pleasures, wealth, treasures, the service o f attendants, and the com pany
448 O n Sk illful M eans

o f household m em bers, and then appeared to give up all these and leave the
household life. After seeing this, the sentient beings think: ‘T h e five sensuous
pleasures w hich the Bodhisattva enjoyed w ere the m ost wonderful; they w ere
unrivaled. If he can give th em up and leave the household life, w h y can we not do
the same?’
“Furtherm ore, the B o d hisattva’s wife and his male and female household
m em bers w ere people w h o m the Bodhisattva had converted through w holesom e
dharm as w h en he trod the B odhisattva-path in the past. These sentient beings had
also vo w ed to be his wife or household m em bers until the lifetime in w hich the
Bodhisattva w ould attain Buddhahood. In order to increase the white, pure dhar­
m as o f these people, the Bodhisattva appeared to stay w ith his wife and household
m em bers.
“M oreover, in order to tcach and convert the forty -tw o thousand ladies, to
m ake th em bring forth bodhicitta, and to cause others not to fall to the miserable
planes o f existence, the Bodhisattva appeared to stay w ith his wife and household
m em bers in the palace.
“Furtherm ore, all w o m e n w h o w ere burning w ith the fire o f carnal desire
parted w ith their desire w hen they saw the Bodhisattva.
“M oreover, the Bodhisattva produced by magic m any Bodhisattvas w h o
w ere exactly like him self in features and bodily form. T he w o m en w h o amused
them selves w ith the magically produced Bodhisattvas said to themselves that they
amused themselves w ith the real Bodhisattva. Actually, all the tim e the B odhi­
sattva rem ained in m editation and cultivated practices causing peace and jo y . Just
as the magically produced Bodhisattvas had no thoughts o f desire w h e n enjoying
the fi ve sensuous pleasures, so the real Bodhisattva was free from carnal desire
from the era o f D Ipam kara Buddha until the lifetime in w hich he w ould attain
B u d d h ah o o d .40 This was the ingenuity practiccd by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“W h y was the Bodhisattva absorbed in thought under the rose-apple tree?
G ood m an, the Bodhisattva wished to teach and convert the seven hundred million
gods; he wished to cause his parents to k n o w that he w ould surely shave his beard
and hair, don a m onastic robe, and leave the household life; he wished to show
that he added to his w isdom w hen he took shade under the rose-apple tree; and he
w ished to cause sentient beings to increase their good roots. This is w h y he sat in
m editation u n d er the rose-apple tree. This was the ingenuity practiced by the
Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“W h y did the Bodhisattva go forth from the city to observe things instead o f
amusing h im self w ith the five sensuous pleasures?41 G o o d m an, because he wished
to show that he saw an old person, a sick one, and a dead one, he w en t forth from
the city. H e w ished his relatives to k n o w that he left the household life from fear
o f old age, sickness, and death, not out o f arrogance; that he left the household life
in order to benefit his relatives, not to harm them ; that he left the household life
because he saw the faults of household life. In order to show all sentient beings the
sufferings o f old age, sickness, and death, the Bodhisattva w en t forth from the city
 On th e P a ra m ita o f In g e n u ity 449
to observe things instead of amusing him self with the five sensuous pleasures. This
was the ingenuity practiccd by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“W h y did the Bodhisattva appear to leave ho m e at m idnight? G ood man, it
was becausc the Bodhisattva wished to show w hat is beneficial for sentient beings’
g ood roots, for he im proved sentient beings，good roots w herever he was. G ood
m an, it was also because the B odhisattva w anted to abandon the five sensuous
pleasures for the sake o f w hite, pure dharmas. In order to part w ith pleasures, not
white, pure dharmas, he renounced the household life; and in order not to let his
relatives know , he left h o m e at midnight. This was the ingenuity practiced by the
Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“W h y did the Bodhisattva m ake his attendants sleep before he left home?
Because, good man, he w ished to m ake the gods responsible for his leaving hom e.
Som e o f his relatives w ould becom e angry w h en they w ere inform ed that the
Bodhisattva had left the household life. T he Bodhisattva thou g h t, ‘If they harbor
malicc against me, they will suffer very m uch in the long night and fall to the
miserable planes o f existence. H ow ever, if they think that it is gods w h o have
cheatcd the attendants into sleep, opened the door for me, led the way, and then
ascended in the sky and flown away, and that it is not m y fault, they will have
m ore faith in m e and distrust the g o d s.’42 With this in mind, the Bodhisattva made
his attendants sleep before he left home. This was the ingenuity practiced by the
Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“W h y did the Bodhisattva send [his chariotcer] C handaka back w ith the
B odhisattva’s w hite horse, precious clothes, and nccklaces? Because, good man, he
wished to let his relatives k n o w that he was not greedy for the fine clothes and
prccious necklaces o f a laym an. Besides, the Bodhisattva thought, ‘M y doing this
will cause others to follow m y example in giving up everything and leaving the
household life for the sake o f the B uddha-D harm a. A fter people imitate m e in
parting w ith all they love, they will cultivate the four noble practices. N everthe­
less, they should not [follow m y example and] leave the household life w ithout the
permission of their parents.43 This was the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-
M ahasattva.
“W h y did the Bodhisattva him self shave his hair w ith a knife? G ood man, in
the billion-w orld universe, no god, dragon, ghost, spirit, gandharva, hum an, or
n o n h u m a n could go near the Bodhisattva, w h o had aw esom e virtue; h o w could
any one shave his hair? Furtherm ore, the Bodhisattva appeared to shave his hair
w ith a knife in order to cause sentient beings to believe that he deeply wished to
leave the household life. M oreover, the Bodhisattva did so for the sake o f [his
father] King Suddhodana. W hen [the Bodhisattva left home], K ing Suddhodana
h arbored malice and, presum ing upon his o w n power, said arrogantly, ‘I will kill
the person w h o shaves m y so n ’s hair.’ W hen he heard that the B odhisattva him self
had shaved his o w n hair w ith a knife, his malice vanished. This was the ingenuity
practiced by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“G o od man, heed m y words. W hy did the Bodhisattva practice austerities
450 O n Sk illful M eans

for six years? G o od m an, it was not due to the results o f his past karm as that the
Bodhisattva endured the sufferings. It was bccause he wished to cause all sentient
beings to be afraid o f all miserable karmic results and turn to the Bodhisattva.
“ Furtherm ore, good man, in the era o f Kasyapa Buddha, the Bodhisattva
once said, ‘I do not w ant to see that bald rccluse [Kasyapa Buddha]. H o w can a
bald-head attain bodhi? The bodhi-path is very profound and hard to attain.’ This
was also the ingenuity practiccd by the Bodhisattva. You should k n o w the m ean­
ing o f w h at he said. W hy did the Bodhisattva utter such rude words?
“ G ood man, w h en Kasyapa B uddha appeared in the w orld, there was a
b ra h m in ’s son nam ed Constellation.44 H e had five close friends, all o f w h o m were
sons o f great brahm ins and had studied the Mahayana before [in their previous
lives]. A t that time, the five had lost bodhicitta becausc they had associated closely
w ith bad friends for a long time. G ood man, in the era o f Kasyapa Buddha, these
five m en, w h o had no faith in the B uddha-D harm a, served heterodox masters.
T hey understood the w ords o f the heterodox masters, not the w o rd s o f [Kasyapa]
Buddha. T h ey com prehended the doctrincs o f heterodox masters, not the B uddha-
D harm a. T hese five m en w ere then following a heterodox master, w h o said, ‘I am
the Buddha, the W orld-H onored O ne, the A ll-K now ing One. I have also attained
the b o d h i-p ath .’
“At that time, Brahm acarin Constellation devised a skillful means to inducc
the five m en to practice the D h arm a again and to break their w ro n g faith in the
heterodox master. Using ingenuity, he w ent to see a potter and said, ‘N o w I w ant
to see that bald reclusc. H o w can a bald-head attain bodhi? T he bodhi-path is very
profound and hard to attain.’
“G ood man, not long after h e had uttered these w ords, Brahmacarin C o n ­
stellation was w ith the five m en in a secluded place. A t that time, the potter w ent
to see th em and spoke to Brahmacarin Constellation, praising Kasyapa Buddha,
the Tathagata, the W o rth y O ne, the A ll-K now ing One. H e also said to B rah m a­
carin Constellation, ‘You m ay go w ith m e to the B ud d h a.’
“G o o d m an, at that time, Brahm acarin Constellation thought, ‘T he good
roots o f these five m en have not yet com e to m aturity. T h ey will be skeptical if I
praise Kasyapa B uddha instead o f their heterodox teacher. It will be impossible for
th em to go w ith m e to the B u d d h a.’ Therefore, in order to keep his original v o w
and practice the skillful m eans resulting from the param ita o f w isdom , he said, ‘I
do not w ant to see that bald recluse. H o w can a bald-head attain bodhi? The
bodhi-path is very profound and hard to attain.’
“ W hat is the result o f the paramita o f w isdom ? T h e Bodhisattva w h o prac­
tices the paramita o f w isdom has no thought o f bodhi or Buddha. A t that time,
Constellation saw neither Buddha n or bodhi; he did not see bodhi [in any loca­
tion,] inside, outside, or in between. Thus, he com prehended thoroughly that
bodhi is em pty and nonexistent. K now ing that all dharm as are nonexistent, as a
skillfull m eans Constellation said, ‘I do not want to see that bald recluse. H o w can
a bald-head attain bodhi? T he bodhi-path is very profound and hard to attain.’
 On th e P a ra m ita o f In g e n u ity 451

“Later, good man, Brahmacarin Constellation and the five persons went to
the bank o f a river. In order to convert the five men, the potter, invested with
m iraculous pow er by the Buddha, again came to see them and said to Brahmacarin
Constellation, ‘You m ay go w ith m e to the B uddha and pay hom age, m ake
offerings, show rcspect, and accord praise to him. T he appearance o f a Buddha, a
W orld -H o n o red O ne, in the w orld is a very rare occasion .，
“ H earing w hat the potter had said, Brahmacarin Constellation purposely
refused to go. T hen the po tter approached the brahmacarin, seized him by the
hair, and pulled him by force to the Buddha. T h e five m en followed on the heels
o f Brahm acarin Constellation and consequently arrived at the placc w here the
Buddha was.
“ According to the law o f the country at that tim e, a person w h o seized
another by the hair had to die, if he w ere accuscd before an official. W hen the five
m en saw the po tter seize Brahm acarin Constellation by the hair and pull him by
force to the place w here the B uddha was, they followed on the heels o f the
brahm acarin w ith this th o u g h t in mind: ‘W hat m erits does the D harm a o f the
T athagata have that this potter, risking the death penalty, seized Constellation by
the hair and is pulling him to pay ho m ag e, m ak e offerings, show respcct, and
accord praise to that B u d d h a ?，
“W hen the five m en arrived at the placc w here Kasyapa B uddha was staying
and saw the Buddha, they again b rought forth their original v ow s [generated in
past lives] and believed in and respectcd the Buddha. After that, they reproached ,
Constellation before the Buddha, saying, ‘T h e W orld-H onored O n e has such aw e­
som e virtue! If you had heard about this before, w h y did you not rcspect and
believe in him ?’
“G o o d man, w h e n the five m en had seen the aw esom e virtue o f Kasyapa
B uddha and heard his eloquence, th ey again b ro u g h t forth suprem e bodhicitta.
“ Seeing that the five m en w ere devoted to bodhi, Kasyapa B uddha explained
to th em first the D iam ondlike Sentences o f the N onregressive D harani o f the
Bodhisattva Canon, and then the Realization o f the N onarising o f D harm as. T he
five m en im m ediately achieved the Realization o f the N onarising o f Dharm as.
“G o o d m an, n o w I have fully attained B uddha-w isdom . I k n o w that if, at
that time, Brahm acarin Constellation had praised Kasyapa B uddha instead o f their
heterodox teacher, the five m en w ould not have gone to sec the Buddha, and
certainly w ould not have believed in or respected the Buddha.
“G o od man, in o rd er to induce the five m en to learn the Bodhisattva-
vehicle, Brahm acarin Constellation devised a skillful means by his accomplishment
o f the paramita o f w isdom and said, ‘I do not w ant to see that bald recluse. H o w
can a bald-head attain bodhi? T he bodhi-path is very profound and hard to attain /
G ood m an, the Bodhisattva, w h o never regressed [from the path], had no doubt
about the Buddha, bodhi, or the B uddha-D harm a. This w as the ingenuity prac­
ticed by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
"Furtherm ore, in order to teach and convert the five m en and to exemplify
452 O n Skillfu l M eans

karm ic retribution, the Bodhisattva appeared to be hindered by the karm a [of

having slandered Kasyapa Buddha], and he endured six years o f austerities as an
apparent result. It is an entirely different case if sentient beings, for lack o f k n o w l­
edge and perception, speak ill ofpreccpt-keeping sramanas or brahmins, calling the
learned unlearned and the liberated unliberated; they will really undergo suffering
in the long night w ithout gaining any benefit, and fall to the miserable planes o f
existence. It was for the sake o f such sentient beings that the Bodhisattva appeared
to receive the retribution from the apparent karma, th ough he was actually free
from all obstructive karmic results. T he same is true o f (all] Tathagatas. Some
sentient beings w ere afflicted w ith w o rry and distress and could not acquire libera­
tion or the fruit o f the path becausc they had slandered precept-keeping sramanas
or brahm ins. In order to free these sentient beings from w orry and distress, the
B odhisattva appeared to undergo that karm ic result, and thus those sentient beings
thought, ‘E ven the Bodhisattva, w h o achieved B uddhahood in this life, can obtain
liberation, in spite o f the fact that he slandered Kasyapa Buddha. As for us, we
have uttered abusive language only fro m ignorancc. N o w we should repent our
o w n transgressions and never again perform any evil k arm a.’
“G o o d m an, it was also in order to subdue the heterodox devotees [of
asceticism] th at th e Bodhisattva practiced austerities for six years, not due to any
real karm ic hindrances. Why? Som e sramaiias and brahm ins in the w orld ate a
grain o f sesame or rice a day and said that they could achieve purity and liberation
thereby. In order to subdue them , the Bodhisattva appeared to eat a grain o f
sesame or rice a day, to show th em that, by taking [such small am o u nts of] coarse
food, the Bodhisattva could not attain the noble path, let alone purity and libera­
tion.45 T he Bodhisattva [deliberately] had said, ‘I do not w ant to see that bald recluse.
H o w can a bald-head attain bodhi? T he bodhi-path is very profound and hard to
a tta in / and appeared to suffer for it by enduring austerities46 for six years, for the
purpose o f subduing the ascetics, including five million tw o hundred thousand
gods, som e heterodox rsis, and som e Bodhisattvas. This was the ingenuity practiced
by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.

hi

“ W hy d id the Bodhisattva reach the bodhi-tree w hen he h ad eaten47 an d w as full o f

energy, n o t w hen he was emaciated and weak? G ood m an , th e Bodhisattva could
have attained suprem e enlightenm ent even if he had eaten and drunk nothing and
so had becom e feeble, let alone w hen he had taken a grain o f sesame or rice [daily].
At that time, out of pity for sentient beings o f the future, the Bodhisattva ate the
w onderful food [offered to him]. Why? Because if sentient beings who w ish to
seek the path w h en their good roots are still im m ature suffer hunger and thirst as a
 On the P a r a m it a of In g e n u it y 453

result o f eating and drinking nothing, they cannot obtain w isdom ; but if they
practice [the Dharma] peacefully and happily, they can obtain w isdom . In order to
m ake it clear that the D h arm a does not dem an d austerities, the Bodhisattva show ed
sentient beings that he obtained w isdom by practicing [the D harm a] peacefully and
happily. Also, out o f pity for the future sentient beings, the Bodhisattva wished to
cause th em to take good food, as he had; therefore, he [appeared to] achieve the
thirty-seven w ays to bodhi and to attain suprem e enlightenm ent only after having
eaten the food given to him by the w o m an Sujata. This w o m an also achieved the
[thirty-seven] ways to bodhi. Furtherm ore, the Bodhisattva was blissful even
w hen in the first dhyana, and could abide in it without taking food for h u n­
dreds o f thousands o f kalpas. This was the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhi­
sattva-M ahasattva.
“ W hy did the Bodhisattva ask the god Auspiciously Peaceful for grass to
cover his seat? G ood m an, it was because form er B uddhas did not cover the seat o f
liberation w ith fine silken fabric, and also becausc the Bodhisattva wished to help
the god Auspiciously Peaceful achieve the thirty-seven ways to bodhi. After he
gave grass to the Bodhisattva, Auspiciously Peaceful b ro u g h t forth bodhicitta.
G ood man, I n o w predict that the god Auspiciously Peaceful will, in a future life,
becom e a B u d d h a nam ed Pure Tathagata, the W orthy O ne, th e Supremely Enlight­
ened O ne. This was the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-M ahasattva.
“W hen the Bodhisattva sat under the bodhi-tree, w h y did he causc Papiyan,
the dem on king, to attem pt to prevent his attainm ent o f suprem e enlightenment?
G ood m an, the dem on king could not approach the bodhi-tree [by his o w n power].
It w ould have been absolutely impossible for him to do so if the Bodhisattva had
not su m m o n ed him. G o od man, the Bodhisattva th o u g h t w h e n sitting u n d er the
bodhi-tree, ‘W h o is suprem e, the m ost honored one in the four continents? T o
w h o m do the four continents belong?’ Immediately, the Bodhisattva knew that
Papiyan, the dem on king, was the m ost honored one in the Realm o f Desire. He
thought: ‘N o w , if I battle w ith the dem on king and he loses, it will prove that he
and all the sentient beings in the Realm o f Desire are inferior to me. At that time, a
m ultitude of gods will com e together to the bodhi-tree and engender faith [in the
Three Jewels] w hen they arrive. Gods, dem ons, dragons, ghosts, spirits, gan­
dharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and mahoragas will then cncircle the bodhi-
tree; som e o f th em will bring forth suprem e bodhicitta, som e will aspire to be
Bodhisattvas, and som e will engender faith [in the Three Jewels] w h en they see me
[perform] the lion’s sport; som e will even achieve liberation ju st because they sec
m e .，
“G ood m an, with this th ought in m ind, the Bodhisattva em itted from the
w hite curl betw een his b ro w s a light w hich ovcrshone the palace o f Papiyan. At
th at tim e, every corncr o f th e billion-world universe becamc very bright because
o f the brilliance o f the light. From the light came this voicc: ‘T he offspring o f the
Sakya Clan, w h o has left the household life to learn the path, will n o w attain
454 O n Skillfu l M eans

suprem e enlightenm ent. H e will transcend the realm o f dem ons, overcom e de­
m ons, and decrease the n u m b er o f future demons. N o w he is fighting with Pa­
piyan, the d em o n k in g .’
“ G ood m an, having heard the voice, Papiyan became extremely worried,
and felt as if an arrow had been shot into his heart. T h en he ordered his four kinds
o f soldiers,48 m arching in a file thirty-six leagues long, to com e besiege the bodhi-
tree in order to cause the Bodhisattva trouble. A t that time, the Bodhisattva abided
in great kindness, great com p assion, and great wisdom. By virtue o f his w isdom
he beat the gro u n d w ith his golden-hued hand; and soon the d em ons w ere dis­
persed. A fter the dem o ns had been dispersed, eight trillion four hu n d red billion
gods, dragons, ghosts, spirits, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas,
kum bhandas, and so forth b ro u g h t forth suprem e bodhicitta, bccause they saw the
aw esom e virtue, exquisite body, handsom e features, and dauntless strength o f the
Bodhisattva. This was the ingenuity practiced by the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva.
“W h y did the Tathagata remain sitting cross-legged, looking up at the bo-
dhi-trce w ithout blinking, for seven days and seven nights? G ood man, at that
time, som e gods in the Realm o f Form were cultivating ultimate quiescence. T hey
w ere very glad to see the Tathagata sitting cross-legged, and thought, ‘N ow , let us
try to find out w hat Sramana Gautama's m ind rests o n .’ T h e gods could not locate
a single thought in the Tathagata's m ind after seven days and seven nights o f
searching, so they became doubly joyful. T hirty-tw o thousand o f them brought
forth suprem e bodhicitta and m ade this vow: ‘W e will in a future life achicve such
quiesccnce that w e can look up at a bodhi-tree [in the same w ay .]’ Hence, after the
Tathagata had attained the path, he remained sitting cross-lcgged, looking up at
the bodhi-tree w ithout blinking, for seven days and seven nights. This was the
Tathagata?s ingenuity.
“ Since the Tathagata cultivated countless deeds and vow s to give all sentient
beings the jo y o f liberation w hen he trod the Bodhisattva-path, w h y did he teach
the D harm a only after B rahm a had asked him to do so? G ood man, the Tathagata
kn ew that m any gods and hum ans took refuge in B rahm a and held him in esteem,
because they th ought that B rahm a had crcated them, that he was the m ost venera­
ble being in the world, and that no one exccpt him could create the world. G ood
man, at that m om ent, know ing this, the Tathagata thought, ‘N ow , I should wait
for B rahm a to ask me to tcach the D harm a. If Brahm a bow s to me, th en the
sentient beings w h o take refuge in him will all take refuge in m e and say to one
another, “B rahm a asked the Tathagata to teach the D harm a. He truly did so .， ，’
“ G ood man, because the Tathagata had great, awesome virtue, Brahma
came to him and asked him to teach the D harm a and turn the Dharm a-w hecl.
Good man, if I had not th rough m y miraculous p o w er caused B rahm a to ask me,
he w ould not have com e to ask, because he had no intention o f doing so. G ood
man. in order to causc the sentient beings w ho took refuge in Brahm a to part w ith
him. it was nccessary for the B uddha to wait for B rahm a to m ake his request;
 On the P ara m ita of In g en u ity 455

B rahm a's action proved the cxccllencc o f the Buddha. G ood man, w hen Brahma
asked the Tathagata to turn the D harm a-w heel, six million eight hundred thousand
gods o f the B rahm a H eaven brought forth suprem e bodhicitta and said, ‘H e is
really a Buddha. H e is supreme, the m ost venerable o f sentient beings.，T hey m ade
this vow: ‘I will in som e future life achicve the same w isdom and aw esom e virtue
the Buddha has achieved.，This was the Tathagata's ingenuity.
“G ood m an, I have ju st spoken about the causes and conditions o f manifest­
ing the ten deeds49 to sentient beings. In perform ing these ten deeds, the Bodhi­
sattva, the Tathagata, manifested ingenuity. The wise alone can understand this.
G ood m an, y o u should n o t think that the Bodhisattva m u st have com m itted some
transgressions, even the slightest ones. It w ould have been absolutely impossible
for the Bodhisattva to sit on the bodhi-sitc and attain suprem e enlightenm ent if he
had done any unw holesom e things, even the slightest ones. W hy? Bccausc, good
man, the Tathagata has achieved all w holesom e dharm as and severed all u nw hole­
som e ones. He is free from saihsara, karm ic results, and force o f habit; it is abso­
lutely impossible that he has not yet eradicated any o f them , let alone that he is
hindered by karm ic retributions. G o o d m an, for the sake o f sentient beings w ho
said there was no karm ic retribution and did not believe in it, the Tathagata
appeared to crcatc causcs and conditions for ‘karm ic retrib u tio n s/ H e actually had
no karm ic retributions, but manifested th em to sentient beings, so that they could
think, ‘Even he, the King o f Dharm a, was subjcct to karm ic results, let alone other
sentient beings.'50
‘‘G ood man, the Tathagata docs not have any karm ic hindrances. As an
illustration, suppose a well-learned tcacher o f children reads to them some chapters
o f a book. H e does so not bccausc he does not understand the book, but bccausc he
thinks that the children will follow his example and read. In like manner, good
man, the Tathagata, w h o has learned all dharm as well, says certain w ords and
makes certain manifestations [not bccausc he still has karmic hindrances, but]
bccause he w ants to causc other sentient beings to perform pure deeds.
‘‘G ood man, as an illustration, consider a great d octor w h o can cure all
diseases. H e m ay take som e bitter mcdicinc in the prcscnce o f his patients though
he him self is not ill, so that, having seen this, the patients m ay also take the
medicine and be healed o f their diseases. Similarly, good man, the Tathagata has
cured him self o f all the diseases o f defilements, and is not [karmically] obstructed
at all. H ow ever, he can manifest anything, and so m ay appear to undergo ccrtain
retributions for ccrtain ‘evil karmas，in order to causc sentient beings to perform
pure deeds and to be free from all bodily, verbal, and mental karmic hindrances.
“ G ood man, as an illustration, consider the wet nurse o f an elder's son. For
the sake o f the baby com m itted to her carc because o f his parents’ love for him, she
m ay take bitter mcdicine w ithout having any illness. She drinks the bitter mcdicinc
becausc she wishes to m ake her milk pure. In like manner, good man, the T atha­
gata, Father o f All the Worlds, does not fall ill, but m ay appear to be ill in order to
456 O n S killfu l M eans

teach the sentient beings w h o do not k n o w karm ic results; he m ay appear to

receive particular results o f particular karmas, so that, af ter hearing o f this, sentient
beings m ay be frightened and not do any m ore evil d e e d s .
T he B uddha told Bodhisattva Superior W isdom further, “G o od man, in the
era o f Dlpariikara Buddha, there w ere five hundred traders w h o w ent to the occan
to seek precious treasures. G ood man, w ith the five hundred traders, there was a
w icked man who was trcachcrous and often did evil things remorselessly. H e was
skilled at devising strategies. This robber constantly deprived others o f their pos­
sessions, though he looked like a trader. W hen he was in the same ship w ith the
other traders, he thought, ‘These traders have acquired m any precious treasures. I
should kill them and return alone to Jam budvlpa with the lo o t.’ With this thought
in m ind, he decidcd to kill them . G ood man, at that time, there was a m an nam ed
Great Compassion, w h o was the leader o f those traders. In a dream, a sea-god
appeared to him, saying, ‘A m ong your people, there is a wickcd m an with a
certain appcarancc w h o is a robber and often steals from others. N o w he has the
evil intention to kill these five hundred m en and return alone to Jam budvlpa w ith
the prccious treasures. If this wicked m an carries out his intention to kill these five
hundred men, he will perform an extrem ely evil karma. Why? Because all these
five hundred m en arc Bodhisattvas w ho do not regress from their advance tow ard
supreme enlightenm ent. If this wickcd m an kills the Bodhisattvas, for this grave
offense he will rem ain in hell for as long as the period o f tim e from the m o m en t
these Bodhisattvas b rought forth bodhicitta to the m o m en t they will attain su­
preme enlightenment. You are their leader. You m ay devise a skillful means to
prevent this wicked m an from falling to the hells, and also to save the lives o f these
five hundred B odhisattvas.’
“G o od m an, Great Com passion, the leader, then thought, ‘W hat skillful
means should I devise to prevent that wicked m an from falling to the hells and
save the lives o f the five h u n d red Bodhisattvas?，T h o u g h he th o u g h t in this way,
he told n o b o d y about it.
“A t that time, they w ere w aiting for the wind, w hich was expected to com e
in seven days to bring them back to Jam budvlpa. After seven days had passed, he
thought, ‘T h e re is no w ay to save the lives o f these five hundred persons except to
put tliis wicked m an to death.’ T hen he thought further, ‘If I tell these five
h undred people about him, they will hate this wickcd m an and kill him them ­
selves, and then they will fall to the miserable planes o f existence.’
“ G ood man, Great Com passion, the leader, then thought, ‘I should kill him
myself. T h o u g h I m ay fall to the miserable plane o f hell and undergo sufferings for
hundreds o f thousands of kalpas becausc o f killing him, I am willing to bear those
sufferings, but I will not let this wickcd m an kill these five hundred Bodhisattvas
and suffer in hell for that evil k arm a.’
.‘G ood m an, at that time, the leader Great Com passion took pity on that
wickcd m an and devised a skillful means. Thinking to himself, ‘I will kill this
w icked m an bccause I w ant to protect these five hundred people,’ he killed the
 On the P a r a m it a of In g e n u it y 457

wickcd m an w ith a spear. In the end, the traders returned to Jam budvlpa safe and
sound.
“G o o d m an, you should n o t harbor any doubt. T h e leader at th at tim e was
no o th er than myself, and the five hundred traders w ere the five hundred B odhi­
sattvas o f the W orthy Kalpa w h o will attain suprem e enlightenm ent during this
kalpa.
“G o od man, because I used ingenuity out o f great compassion at that time, I
was able to avoid the suffering of one hundred thousand kalpas o f sarhsara, and
that w icked man was reborn in heaven, a good plane ot existence, after death.
“G o od man, n o w you should k n o w this was only a display o f the po w er
o f the Bodhisattva’s ingenuity. D o not think that the Bodhisattva could reccivc
obstructive karmic retributions and yet avoid the suffering o f hundreds and thou­
sands o f kalpas o f sariisara.
“ G ood m an, for the sake o f all sentient beings, the Tathagata as a skillful
m eans appeared to be pierced by th e th o rn o f a khadira tree [as an apparent
retribution for killing the m an w ith a spear]. G ood m an, oncc a khadira thorn
pierced the foot o f the Tathagata, and you should know , good m an, that it was the
B u d d h a’s m iraculous p o w e r causing the thorn to pierce his foot. W hy? Because the
T athagata’s adam antine body cannot be in any w ay damaged.
“G o od man, once in the past, in SravastT, there w ere tw e n ty persons w h o
had com c to their last existence in sarhsara. Each o f the tw en ty persons had one
enem y, and each enem y thought: ‘Pretending to be his close friend, I will go to his
house and kill him, w ithout telling anyone about it.’
“G o od man, at that time, because o f the B u d d h a ’s miraculous powers, the
tw enty persons w h o had com e to their last existence in sariisara, along w ith their
tw en ty enemies, came to the place w here the B uddha was staying.
“G o o d m an, in order to subdue these forty persons, the Tathagata said to
M aham audgalyayana in the prescncc o f the assembly, ‘A khadira thorn will now
em erge from the ground and pierce m y right foo t.5
“ Thereupon, the thorn came out of the ground to a length o f one foot.
Before it reached the B uddha's foot, M aham audgalyayana said to the Buddha,
‘W orld -H o n o red O ne, let m e pull this th o rn out o f the g ro u n d and th ro w it to
another w orld. ’
“T h e B uddha told M aham audgalyayana, ‘This is beyond y o u r power. The
khadira thorn is here, but you cannot pull it u p .，
“Then, M aham audgalyayana took the thorn and pulled it with all his divine
strength. T h e w hole billion-world universe shook violently and all the w orlds
w ere lifted up, but the th o rn did not m o v e a hair’s breadth.
“G o od m an, at that time, by his miraculous pow er, the Tathagata ascended
to the H eaven o f the Four [Deva Kings], but the khadira th o rn w ent with him. T hen
the Tathagata w en t up to the Heaven o f the T hirty-T hree, the Yama Heaven, the
Tusita Heaven, the N irm anarati Heaven, and the Paranirmita-Vasavartin Heaven,
but the thorn w en t w ith him to those places, too; it was the same even w hen he
458 O n Skillfu l M eans

ascended to the B rahm a Heaven. Then, the Tathagata returned from the B rahm a
H e a v e n to his seat in SravastI, b u t th e t h o r n c a m e ba ck w ith h im , j u t t i n g t o w a r d
him. T hen, the Tathagata seized the khadira th o rn w ith his right hand and, placing
his left hand on the ground, trod upon it w ith his right foot. T hereupon, the
whole billion-world universe shook violently. Seeing this, the Venerable Ananda
rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, and paid hom age to the Buddha; then
he joined his palms tow ard the Buddha, and asked, ‘W orld-H onored O ne, w hat
karm a did you perform in y our past lives that you receive this retribution n o w ?，
“ T he B uddha replied to A nanda, ‘In one o f m y past lives, on an occan
voyage, I pierccd a m an to death w ith a spear. Ananda, b ecau sc o f that karma, I
received this retribution.’
“G o od man, after I had explained this karma, the tw en ty enemies w h o
wished to kill the tw e n ty persons thought, ‘Even the Tathagata, the King o f
D harm a, has to receive such a retribution for his negative karma; h o w can w e be
exem pt from karm ic results ?，
“T he tw enty enemies rose from their seats instantly, bow ed d o w n w ith their
heads at the B u d d h a’s feet, and said, 'N ow , in the presence o f the Buddha, we
repent o u r fault and dare not hide it. W orld-H onored O ne, wc maliciously in­
tended to kill tw en ty persons. N o w , we repent it in earnest and dare not hide it.’
“Then, for the sake o f these tw enty enemies, the H onored O n e discoursed
on the conditions o f the perform ance o f karm as and the exhaustion o f karmas.
H aving heard this doctrinc, the tw en ty enemies acquired a right understanding o f
the D harm a, as did forty thousand others. This was the reason w h y the Tathagata
appeared to have his foot hurt by a khadira thorn. This was the T athagata’s
ingenuity.
“W hy did the Tathagata once ask the doctor Life-Giving for a blue lotus
flow er,51 smell it, and sw allow it, though he was not ill? G ood man, not long after
the Tathagata com posed the precepts for liberation, there were five hundred m onks
w ho had com e to their last existence in samsara and w ho had often cultivated the
path in secluded forests. These m onks w ere afflictcd w ith a disease w hich could
n o t be cured w ith the stale m edicine they had, but they did not seek or take other
medicinc, becausc they kept the B uddha’s preccpts w ith respcct and care.
“G ood man, at that time, the Tathagata thought, ‘W hat skillful means should
I devise to give them perm ission to take o th er medicinc?’ If the T athagata gave
th em permission, those m onks w ould seek and take another m edicine [which
could cure them]. If the Tathagata did not give them permission, future m onks
w ould break the noble law [when they take good medicines]. H ence, the Tathagata
as a skillful m eans asked the doctor Life-Giving for a blue lotus flower, smelled it,
and swallow ed it.
“T h en , a god o f the Pure-A bode H eaven52 w e n t to those m o n k s and said,
‘V irtuous ones, you m ay seek another medicinc. D o not die o f sickness .，
“Those m onks said, ‘W e dare not disobey the instructions o f the W orld-
H o no red One. If w e disobey his instructions, w e will feel terrible. W e w ould
 O n th e P a ra m ita of In g e n u ity 459

rather die than disobey the instructions o f the Buddha. We will not seek a life-
prolonging good m edicinc .，
“After they had said so, that god said, ‘Virtuous ones, the Tathagata, the
King o f D harm a, has him self sought a good medicine, rejecting stale ones. V irtuous
ones, you m ay seek another m cdicine [which will cure you].
“H aving heard these w ords, the m onks n o longer hesitated to seek and take
the good medicine, and thus they were healed o f their disease. Less than seven days
after they had recovered from their illness, they realized Arhatship. G ood m an, if
the Tathagata had not taken other mcdicine, the m onks w o u ld n o t have d o n e so,
either. If th ey had not taken other medicine, it w o u ld have been impossible for
them to get rid o f their disease, sever their defilements, and realize Arhatship. This
was the T athagata’s ingenuity.
“ W hy did the Tathagata once enter the city to beg for food and then com c
out w ith his bow l em pty? G o od man, the Tathagata is free from karm ic hindrance.
At that time, the Tathagata had pity on future m onks. T hose m o n k s w h o enter a
city or a village to beg for food but are given nothing becausc they lack blessings
and m erits will think: ‘Even the Tathagata, the W orld-H onored O ne, w h o had
achieved [all] merits, oncc entered the city to beg for food but came out w ith his
bow l em pty; not to speak o f us, w h o have few good roots. We should not bccome
w orried or annoyed ju st becausc w hen w e beg for food w e arc not given a n y .’
This is w h y the Tathagata appeared to enter the city to beg for food and appeared
to com c out w ith his bow l empty.
“ G ood man, if you say that it is bccause the dem on king Papiyan [by
himself] confuscd the m inds o f the elders and brahm ins in th e city, so that they did
n o t give th e Tathagata even a handful o f food, g o o d m an, do n o t think so! W hy?
Because the d em o n king Papiyan could not have prevented the T athagata from
receiving food. A t that time, the B uddha by his miraculous p o w e r caused the
d em o n king Papiyan to confuse the m inds o f the people in the city. T he dem on
king could not have done this by his o w n power.
“At that time, I was completely free from karm ic hindrances. In order to
teach sentient beings, I appeared to com c out o f the city w ith m y bow l em pty.
W hen I and m y assembly o f m onks w ere not given any food, the dem ons and gods
all thoughc, ‘D o the B uddha and the m o n k s becom c w orried w h en they acquire no
food?’ T h at night, w hen they saw the B uddha and m onks, they found that they
w ere n o t w o rried or annoyed at all, and that they w ere neither elated nor de­
pressed, feeling ju st as they had felt before [they had begged in vain]. Good man,
seeing this, seven thousand gods began to respect and have faith in the Tathagata,
w hereupon I explained the D harm a to them . As a result, they obtained the clear
D harm a-eye regarding all things.
“ G ood m an, a little later, som e o f the brahm ins and elders heard that the
W orld -H o no red O n e had great, aw esom e virtue; so, filled with sinccre adm ira­
tion, they w en t to see the Buddha, bow ed d o w n w ith their heads at the B u d d h a’s
feet, and repented their faults. T h e Tathagata then taught th em the four noble
460 O n Skillfu l M eans

truths. As soon as he explained the Dharm a, tw en ty thousand persons acquired the

d e a r D harm a-cyc regarding all things. This is w h y the Tathagata entered the city
to beg for food but came out w ith his bow l empty. This was the T athagata’s
ingenuity.
"W hy did Cinca-M anavika, a brahm in w om an, tic a piece o f w o o d to her
belly and slander the Tathagata, saying, ‘It is Sramana G autam a w h o has m ade m e
pregnant. H e should supply m e w ith clothing, bedding, food, and drink ’？G ood
m an, the Tathagata had not the least karm ic hindrance regarding this event; if he
had had karm ic hindrance [in the form o f that brahm in w om an], he could have
th ro w n her to a place as m any w orlds away from here as the sands o f the Ganges.
H ow ever, as a skillful means, the Tathagata manifested this karm ic hindrance to
teach ignorant sentient beings. Why? In the future, there will be m o n k s w h o take
refuge in m y D h arm a and leave the household life to learn the path. Some o f th em
m ay be slandered. Because o f this, they m ight feel ashamed, dislike the B uddha-
D harm a, give up discipline, and return to the lay life. H o w ev er, now , w hen
slandered, these m o n k s will think o f the Tathagata: 'Even the Tathagata, w h o has
achieved all w h oleso m e dharm as and possesses great, aw esom e virtue, was slan­
dered; h o w can w c avoid being slandered?，T hinking thus, they will not feel
ashamed, and will be able to cultivate wonderful, pure conduct.
‘‘G o od man, being always w rapped in evil karma, the brahm in w o m an
Cinca-M anavika was faithless in charactcr; and not being subdued by the B uddha-
D harm a, she was w rapped in evil karm a even m ore. She slandered others even in
her dream s and felt happy because o f it w h en she w o k e up. This w o m an w ould
have fallen to the hells after death. G ood m an, by special ingenuity, I was able to
be the w o m a n ’s savior, ridding her o f her evil karm a and delivering her from
sarhsara. G o o d m an, do not think th at the Tathagata will not save certain persons.
W hy? Because the Tathagata treats all sentient beings impartially. This was the
Tathagata's ingenuity.
“W hy did som e brahm ins kill Sundarl,53 the brahm in w om an, and bury her
in a m o at o f the Jeta Grove? G ood man, at that time, the Tathagata k new all about
this but did not say a w ord. T he Tathagata has achieved the m ind o f all-know ing
w isdom and is obstructed by nothing. By his miraculous power, he could have
caused the knife not to run into the w o m a n ’s body, but he kn ew that the life o f
Sundarl w o uld com e to its end anyw ay and [her karma] w ould cause her to be
killed by others for certain. So as a skillful means, he let this happen [and did not
intervene]. As a result, the evildoings o f those heretics were displayed and the
evildoers all fell to inferior placcs. O n ly the Buddha knew this event [and all its
implications] in advancc. H e let the event run its o w n coursc and did not inter­
vene, so that m o re sentient beings could generate pure faith and increase their good
roots.
“At that time, the Tathagata did not enter SravastT for seven days. D uring
this time, he subdued six billion gods. After seven days had passed, gods and
hu m an s came together to his place, and the T athagata explained the D harm a to
 O n th e P ara m ita o f In g en u ity 461

the four kinds o f devotees. H aving heard the D harm a, eighty-four thousand peo­
ple acquired the clear D harm a-eye regarding all things. This was the T athagata’s
ingenuity.
“W hy did the Tathagata and the m o n ks eat horses，w heat for three m o n th s
in the village w here Brahm in Veraiija lived? G ood man, from the outset, I knew
that this brahm in w ould certainly give up his original intention o f inviting the
Buddha and the m o nk s and w ould offer them neither food n o r drink, but I ac­
cepted his invitation and w ent to his place on purpose. W hy? I did this for
the sake o f five hundred horses. The five hundred horses had already learned the
Bodhisattva-vehicle and had m ade offerings to past Buddhas, but because they had
associated closcly w ith bad friends and perform ed evil deeds, they were b o rn as
animals. W ith the five hundred horses, there was a large one n am e d Sun-Store,
w ho was [actually| a great Bodhisattva. In his past lives, w hen he was a man,
Bodhisattva Sun-Storc had already persuaded the five hundred horses to bring
forth bodhicitta. In order to deliver them from saiiisara, he appeared to be born
as a horse. Because o f the awesome virtue o f the large horse, the five h undred horses
rem em bered their previous lives and regained their lost aspirations for bodhi.
G ood m an, out of pity for the five hundred Bodhisattvas who were born as horses,
and to enable them to be liberated from the plane o f animals, the Tathagata
acceptcd the invitation given by the brahmin, though he already k new that he
w ould m eet w ith bad treatment.
“G ood m an, at that time, the five hundred horses ate half o f their w heat and
gave the other half to the m onks, and the large horse offered the Tathagata half of
his wheat. For the large horse had explained the D harm a to the five hundred
horses in a horse’s voice; he had also taught them to repent their o w n misdeeds and
to pay hom age to the Buddha and the m onks, and had said, ‘Y ou should offer half
o f y o u r food to the m o n k s.’
“After they had repented their misdeeds, the five hundred horses engendered
pure faith in the Buddha and the Samgha. T hree m onths later, the five hundred
horses died and were reborn [as gods] in the Tusita Heaven. Soon after that, the
five hundred gods descended from the heaven to the B u d d h a’s dwelling-place to
m ake offerings to the Tathagata. Right then, the Tathagata explained the D harm a
to them . H aving [again] heard the D harm a, they subdued their m inds well. In
their future lives, they will first achieve Pratyekabuddhahood, and then w ithout
fail will attain suprem e enlightenment. In his future lives, the large horse Sun-
Store will m ake offerings to countlcss Buddhas and achieve the thirty-seven ways
to bodhi. A fter that, he will becom e a B uddha nam ed Skillful Subduer Tathagata,
the W orthy O ne, the Suprem ely Enlightened One.
“G ood m an, there is no delicacy in the w orld w hich the Tathagata does not
enjoy. G o od man, ^ven if the Tathagata ate grass, a piece o f w ood, a clod o f earth,
or a broken tile, no dish in the billion-w orld universe w ould be as delicious as the
grass, the piece o f w ood, the clod o f earth, or the broken tile eaten by the T atha­
gata. W hy? G ood m an, because the Tathagata, the Great M an, has attained the
462 O n Skillful M eans

suprem e taste am ong all tastes. Even w hen the Tathagata eats the coarsest food, it
tastes better than any celestial ambrosia. G ood man, therefore, you should k n o w
that the T athagata^ food is the best and the m ost wonderful.
“G o o d m an, at that time, Ananda felt grief-stricken because the Tathagata,
w ho belonged to the royal caste and had left the household life to follow the path,
ate horses’ wheat just like low ly people. I perceived what Ananda had on his mind.
T hereupon, I gave a grain o f w heat to him and said, ‘T ry this grain o f w heat and
see h o w it tastes.’
W hen Ananda tried it, he found it m arvelous and said to the Buddha,
‘W orld -H o n o red O ne, I was bo rn and b rought up in a royal family, but I have
never before experienced such a good taste.’ For seven days and seven nights after
he ate that grain of wheat, Ananda did not cat or drink anything and was free o f
h u n g er and thirst. Therefore, good m an, you should k n o w that this w as the
ingenuity o f the Tathagata, not his karm ic hindrance.
“G ood m an, som e precept-keeping sram anas and brahm ins m ay accept a
p erso n ’s invitation as I did, but, after learning that their misled and confuscd host
will not give them anything, they m ay refuse to go to his house. Lest they should
do this,54 the Tathagata dem onstrated that he w ould definitely go to a patron's place
once he had acccpted his invitation. H e did so also because he wished to manifest
the existence o f karm ic results. G ood man, it should be k n o w n that, as a rule, even
if the Tathagata is offered nothing to eat w h en he is invited, he will not let the host
fall to the miserable planes o f existence.
“G ood man, o f the five hundred m onks w ho, together w ith the Tathagata,
ate horses’ w heat during that su m m er retreat, four h undred had engendered carnal
desire because they had seen many attractive55 [women]; if they had eaten fine food,
that w o uld only have added to their desire. Since th ey only ate coarse food, they
were not overcom e w ith desire. Three m onths later those m onks w ere released
from carnal desire and realized Arhatship. G ood man, in order to subdue the four
h undred m o n k s and save the five hundred Bodhisattvas from the plane o f animals,
the Tathagata, by the po w er o f ingenuity, ate horses’ w heat for three m onths. This
was not the T athagata’s karm ic retribution, but his ingenuity.
“ W hy did the Tathagata say to the cider Kasyapa, ‘M y back is aching; you
discourse [on m y behalf] on the seven factors o f enlightenm ent，’ w h en he was
explaining discipline on the fifteenth day o f a m onth? G ood man, at that time,
sitting in the assembly w ere eight thousand gods w h o subdued themselves w ith
the Sravaka doctrines. G ood man, these gods had been taught by M ahakasyapa in
their past lives. T h ey took refuge in the Buddha, the D harm a, and the Samgha,
and did n o t lose self-control. They had often heard M onk Kasyapa explain the seven
factors o f enlightenment. G ood man, except for M onk Kasyapa, no one could
have m ade those gods understand the doctrine, not even hundreds o f thousands o f
Buddhas. A t that time, Kasyapa explained the seven factors o f enlightenm ent in
detail to the gods. After they had heard the doctrine explained by M o n k Kasyapa,
th ey acquired the d e a r Dharm a-eyc.
 O n th e P ara m ita of In g en u ity 463

“G o od man, if diseased sentient beings cannot go to the place w here the

D harm a is taught to listen respectfully to it, they should think, T h e Buddha is the
King o f D harm a. Even he was cured o f his sickness by hearing the seven factors of
enlightenm ent; how can w e not go to hear the D harm a and show respect for it ?，
‘‘G ood man, in o rd er to subdue the gods, to rid people o f their sufferings,
and to manifest respcct for the D harm a, the Tathagata said, 'Kasyapa, m y back is
aching. Y ou discourse on the seven factors o f enlightenment. ’ W hy? Bccause the
D h arm a should be revered. T he Tathagata does not have a coarse, w eighty body
made o f the four elements; h o w can he be afflicted w ith a disease? This was the
Tathagata's ingenuity.
“W hy did the Tathagata say, ‘M y head is aching,，w h en the Sakva clan was
defeated? G o od m an, som e sentient beings said, ‘T he W orld-H onored O n e cannot
benefi t his clan; he does not take pity on them or wish to give them security. Since
he left the household life, he has had no feeling for his clan and no desire to save
and protect th e m .，These sentient beings said so because they did not k n o w the
facts. G ood m an, the Tathagata had transcended all suffering. H owever, k now ing
those sentient beings ，thoughts, he sat under a w ithered tree and said that his head
was aching. G o od man, when I said to Ananda that my head was aching, there
w ere three thousand gods present in the assembly w h o held the view o f nihilism,
as well as num berless sentient beings w h o were inclined to kill. In order to m ani­
fest the existcncc o f karmic hindrances to those gods w h o held the view o f nihilism
and those beings w h o delighted in killing, the Tathagata said, ‘Becausc I [once]
enjoyed seeing a person kill, n o w I suffer from a headache.，After I said this, seven
thousand hum ans and gods w ere subdued. This was the Tathagata's ingenuity.
“W hy did the Tathagata rem ain patient w h en the brahm in Keen M ind re­
viled him with five hundred kinds o f abusive words? Good man, by his miraculous
pow er, the Tathagata could have th ro w n this brahm in to another world; he also
could have m ade this brahm in unable to utter a single abusive w ord. G ood man, at
that tim e there w ere m any gods and hum ans in the assembly. T hey saw that the
Tathagata could put up w ith this bitter abuse w ithout saying anything in retort,
and that the Tathagata felt just as he had felt before he was reviled, w ith a m ind o f
equanim ity, beneficence, and patience. Thereupon, four thousand persons brought
forth bodhicitta. All this was perccived by the Tathagata. Furtherm ore, good man,
w hen the brahm in Keen M ind had reviled the B uddha w ith five hundred kinds of
abusive w o rd s and found that the W orld-H onored O n e rem ained cquanimous, the
b ra h m in ’s m ind bccam e filled w ith faith and respcct. H e took refuge in the B u d ­
dha, the D harm a, and the Sarhgha and planted the root o f liberation. This was the
T athagata’s ingenuity.
‘‘G ood m an, D evadatta56 and the Bodhisattva have been born in the same
place in every lifetime. T his is also a skillful m eans o f the Bodhisattva. Why?
Because o f D evadatta, I have fulfilled the six paramitas and benefited countless
sentient beings. H o w can this be understood? G ood man, in a past age, [when the
Bodhisattva was a king,] there were sentient beings w h o enjoyed themselves heart­
464 O n S k illfu l M eans

ily, but did n o t k n o w h o w to give or to w h o m to give, and the Bodhisattva

wished to teach them to practice giving. Dcvadatta, w ho became jealous o f the
Bodhisattva, w ent to see him and asked for his capital city, wife, children, head,
eyes, hands, and feet. T he Bodhisattva gave him all these gladly. At that time,
incalculable num bers o f sentient beings becamc cheerful, and believed in and u n d er­
stood giving w hen they saw the Bodhisattva give in this way. T hey said, ‘I will
practice giving ju st as the Bodhisattva docs, so that I m ay attain b o d h i .，
“ G ood m an, once, k now ing that the Bodhisattva kept the precepts purely,
D cvadatta tried to cause the B odhisattva to break them , but the Bodhisattva did
not violate any o f them . W hen countlcss sentient beings saw the Bodhisattva keep
the prccepts they followed his example and did so themselves. The Bodhisattva,
w ho kept the precepts, harbored no malice w hen he was despised, slandered, or
reviled by others; at such tim es he fulfilled the param ita o f patience. Seeing the
Bodhisattva subdue his m in d w ith patience, innumerable sentient beings followed
his example and practiced paticncc. G ood man, you should know that D evadatta
has benefited the Bodhisattva g re a tly :7
‘‘G ood man, recently Devadatta, trying to kill the Buddha, released a huge
drunken elephant. H e also pushed d o w n a large boulder from the peak o f M o u n t
G rdhrakuta for the same purpose. All these w ere manifestations o f the Tathagata's
ingenuity, not his karm ic retributions. Why? Because these skillful m eans w ould
benefit num berless sentient beings.
“G o od man, the Tathagata has explained the causes and conditions o f these
ten events,58 w hich w ere all manifestations o f his ingenuity, not karm ic retribu­
tions. Why? Sentient beings did not k n o w that karm a brings about results. For their
sake, the Tathagata manifested these karm ic results and said, ‘If you have done this
karm a, you will get this result; if you have done that karma, you will get that
result. Such and such a karm a brings about such and such a result.，After hearing
this, sentient beings w ould perform ccrtain karm as and refrain from others; they
w ould avoid evil karmas and cultivate good ones.
‘‘G ood man, n o w I have finished explaining and revealing m y ingenuity.
Y ou should keep this a secret and not speak o f it to lowly, inferior people w h o
have few good roots. W hy? Bccausc, even Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot
com prehend this sutra, m uch less can lowly, inferior, ordinary persons believe or
understand it. O rd in a ry people cannot learn ingenuity, and so the Sutra o f Inge­
nuity is o f no use to them ; not a single ordinary person can accept or practice it.
‘‘O n ly Bodhisattvas can learn and tcach the doctrine o f ingenuity. G ood
m an, ju st as one can see everything in a roo m w hen a large lamp is lit at night, so a
Bodhisattva can, after hearing about ingenuity, see the path that all Bodhisattvas
tread and k n o w w hat he should learn. For those w ho are skilled in following the
Bodhisattva-path, it is not difficult to perform the deeds o f all Tathagatas and
Bodhisattvas w h o have already reachcd the other shore.
“G ood m an, I n o w say: if those good men and good w o m en w h o wish to
attain the wholesom e dharmas o f the bodhi-path hear that the Sutra o f Ingenuity is
 O n the P a r a m it a of In g e n u it y 465

taught hundreds o f thousands o f leagues away from their homes, then they should
go and listen to it. W hy? Because, if a Bodhisattva has heard this Sutra o f Inge­
nuity, he will achicvc illumination and have no d oubt about any d h arm as.”
W hen this sutra was spoken, the four kinds o f devotees and other hum ans
and gods w h o w ere able to practice this D harm a heard and understood it. H o w ­
ever, those w h o w ere unable to practice this D harm a did not hear or understand it,
th ough they w ere present in the assembly. Since they did not even hear this sutra
with their cars, h o w could they explain it to others w ith their spccch? Because they
w ere unable to practicc this D harm a and because they w ere not blessed by the
B uddha w ith m iraculous power, they did not hear or understand this D harm a
w hen the Tathagata explained it to the assembly.
W hen this sutra had been spoken, seventy-tw o thousand persons brought
forth suprem e bodhicitta.
Then, the Venerable Ananda asked the Buddha, "W orld-H onored One, w hat
is this sutra called? H o w shall we uphold it?”
T h e B u d d h a replied to Ananda, “T his sutra is callcd ‘T h e P aram ita o f Inge­
n u ity / ‘T h e Application o f Ingenuity,，or ‘T he Discourse on Subduing by In­
g e n u ity / You should uphold it by these n am es.”
W hen the B uddha had said this, Bodhisattva Superior W isdom was jubilant,
and all the followers o f the Sravaka-vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha-vehicle, and the
Bodhisattva-vehicle; m onks, nuns, laymen, layw om cn, gods, dragons, ghosts,
spirits, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, and n o n h u m an s ap­
plauded, [saying], ‘‘Excellent, excellent!”
H ere ends the explanation o f the Sutra o f the Ingenuity o f the M ahayana.

NOTES

1. A lte rn a te translation (based o n the T ibetan): . . w h e n a B od h isa ttva w h o p rac­

tices in g e n u ity in ten ds to give even a h an d fu l o f fo o d as charity, he gives it to all sentient
b eings." (G .C.)
2. Literally, “go o d r o o t.”
3. I.e., bodhicitta.
4. Chinese 解 晚 知 見 : H ere, ‘aw areness’ implies the B uddha's transcendental w isdom .
5. O fferings are o f three kinds: (1) incense, flowers, food, etc,; (2) praise and rever­
ence; (3) right conduct.
6. Literally, “H e will console him self w ith tw o thoughts. W hat are the two* O n e is
that there are T athagatas because there are Bodhisattvas; the other is that there are Sravakas
and Pratyekabuddhas because there are T athag atas.M
7. This refers to the Buddha.
8. Since the param ita o f giving is applied to all six paramitas, the definition o f the
param ita o f discipline given here extends b eyond keeping the precepts oneself.
9. Killing, stealing, adultery, and lying.
466 O n Skillfu l M eans

10. T h e B u d d h a h ere m o m e n ta rily escalates the d ialogue to the h ig h e r level o f e m p ti­

ness, w h ic h is th e u ltim ate so lu tion for p urifyin g all transgressions.
11. This indicates not only vegetarianism, but also ascetic practice.
12. Literally, “d ra g o n ,” or “dragon elephant;，
，a term o f respect applied to a B odhi­
sattva, as here, or to a saint or Buddha.
13. Here we see the great difference between the doctrine of the Hlnayana and that of
the M ahayana. T h e latter stresses the im portance o f the B odhisattva’s com passionate and
altruistic in v o lv e m en t w ith living beings in sarhsara. H e is allow ed to enjoy the fi vc sensuous
pleasures as long as he does not lose his bodhicitta. T he greatest sin a Bodhisattva can
com m it is to harbor the Sravakas' intention; i.e., the wish to enter parinirvana even at the
cost o f abandoning sentient beings. (G.C.)
14. This probably means that the Bodhisattva contem plated the earth-elem ent o f his
o w n b o d y (“inner”）and the earth-elem ent o f the w o m a n 's bod y (“o u te r”）as identical, and
thus he penetrated the apparent differences betw een m an and w o m a n and perceived their
essential sameness (S.L.M.)
15. Meaning his supreme enlightenment and acquisition of a Buddha-land.
16. She is usually called Yasodhara, the wife o f Princc Siddhartha (w ho became
Sakyam uni Buddha).
17. T his refers to the follow ing story:
Sariputra and M aham audgalyayana lodged in a potter's house overnight because o f
rain, n ot k n o w in g that there w as a w o m a n in the placc. T h e w o m a n took a b ath the
follow ing m orning, after having had a female nocturnal emission. M o n k U n tim e ly saw her
b athing, and accused the tw o venerable disciples o f h a v in g had an affair w ith her. For his
w ro n g accusation, he was rep rim an d e d three times by the Buddha, but he did n ot repent. H e
suffered m uch th e rest o f his life and fell to hell after his death. (Based prim arily on The Siitra
o f Miscellaneous Treasures, III, Taisho 203 ，p. 461.)
18. Note the emphasis here on the Bodhisattva’s utter lack of attachment to the
pleasures he enjoys in the practice o f ingenuity for the sake o f other beings. In actuality, this
is perhaps rather difficult before one has attained a tho ro u g h realization o f emptiness.
19. Literally, “color,” as also below.
20. T h e sutra describes the B odhisattva’s contem plation in detail. H ow ever, ju dging
from tht ：sequence o f the events, his insight m ight be instantaneous, inclusive o f all details in
one m o m ent.
21. The reason for this is a vow made by Bodhisattva Loving Deed, explained below.
22. “The Buddha’s son” indicates Loving Deed is a Bodhisattva.
23. Literally, “purely elegant.”
24. The rest of this section was originally in verse form, but since the narrative
resum es at this point, and since the verse is prosaic in tone, w e present it as prose.
25. As noted elsewhere, the four sides of Mount Sumeru are each said to be made of a
different precious substance. M y th o lo g y has it that when anyone nears one o f the sides, he
takes on the color o f that side. O ne side is gold.
26. T h e three doors to liberation are usually given as emptiness, signlessness, and
wishlessness.
27. The Chinese text reads here: “the foot-wide path,” but that has already been
interpreted as ‘the O n e P a th ，
. Probably ‘gate’ is m eant here.
28. These sentient beings were identified above as being Bodhisattvas themselves.
29. This question is answered below, p. 450.
30. H ere and in the follow ing discussion, “the Bodhisattva” refers to Sakyam uni
 O n t h e P a r a m it a o f In g e n u it y 467

B uddha w hen he was engaged in Bodhisattva practicc for countless kalpas before his suprem e
enlightenm ent.
31. Tradition has it that at the time of the Bodhisattva’s conccption, his consciousncss
entered the w o m b o f his m o th e r through her right side, and at that m o m e n t she dream ed that
an albino elephant entered her body. T h e follow ing birth stories are self-explanatory.
32. This paragraph has been rearranged slightly to make sense. Seven steps were best,
presum ably becausc seven is an auspicious and mystical n u m b er in m an y religions.
33. Literally, “supreme enlightenment,” but this appears to be a corruption of the text.
34. It is said that the B odhisattva’s father, K ing Suddhodana, received a prediction
from the seer Asita shortly after the Bodhisattva’s birth. T h e seer noticcd the w heel-signs on
the prince’s feet, the w ebbing betw een his fingers and toes, the white curlcd hair betw een his
eyebrows, and the infant's great vigor. T h e seer predicted that if the Bodhisattva could be
isolated from the sight o f suffering, he w o uld becom e a universal m onarch and rule the four
continents. O therw ise, Asita prophesied, the princc w o u ld renounce the household life and
becom e the T eacher o f the w o rld . T he king wished his son to bccom e the great m onarch, so
he saw to it that the palace was inhabited only by young, beautiful, and happy people.
35. T h at is, the Bodhisattva w ent th rough the norm al events o f a noble lay life, and
then re n o u n ce d the palace to becom c a sramaiia, afterwards attaining full B uddhahood. In
this way, he set an exam ple o f renunciation for others to follow. This point is emphasized
below .
36. The traditional explanation of this is that if his mother had not died after his birth,
it could have hindered the Buddha's going forth from the palace, since people m ight have
considered the prince heartless for leaving his m other. A fter her death, it is said that Q ueen
M aya w e n t to the Tusita Heaven, and no longer had to suffer in this w orld. Som e sutras state
that the B u d d h a w ent to that heaven to preach the D h a rm a for his m o th e r after his full
enlightenm ent.
37. It is quite understandable that ccrtain monastically oriented people of later Bud­
dhism tried to deify the Buddha and propound the view that he was completely free of sexual
conduct. Som e people o f ou r age feci that G autam a's sexual activity w ith his wife before he
renounced the household life was not a blemish; rather, it was a normal thing for a m arried
lay Bodhisattva to do, though the prince may have been free of attachment to it. (G.C.)
38. See note 16 above.
39. Yasodhara.
40. The following sentence appears here in the text: “The courticr Chandaka and the
steed Kaiithaka were also causcd by the Bodhisattva’s previous vows.11 It is out of contcxt
here. C h a ndaka was the charioteer w h o helped Princc Siddhartha cscape from the palacc. and
the horse K anthaka d re w the chariot. Sec note 41.
41. T his story is alm ost too well k n o w n t o bear repeating. T h e sheltered future
B uddha instructed his chariotccr to take him out o f the palacc grounds. T he princc saw a sick
man, an old m an, and a dead m an; thus he learned o f the suffering in litc. T he fourth sight
was o f a w andering ascetic. Som e traditions hold that all four visions w ere magically pro ­
duced by the gods, in order to induce the Bodhisattva to leave the household lite.
42. T h e B odhisattva had misgivings about the heavy karm ic retribution his relatives
w o uld have incurred if they had felt ill-will to w ard the future Buddha. Therefore, he causcd
them to blam e the gods instead.
43. This sentence is obscure and strange, and does not appear in the Tibetan text. In
the Vinaya, B u d d h a established the rule that one cannot becom c a m o n k or nun w ith o u t the
permission o f one’s parents. H ow ever, B uddha him self renounced the household life against
468 O n S k il l f u l M e a n s

his father's strong opposition, show ing that if one is truly determ ined, he can renounce the
w o rld even w ithout his parents' consent.
44. T his brahm acarin, m entioned in Part I, was Sakyam uni Buddha, in a form er life.
45. T h e s to ry goes that the Bodhisattva attained suprem e enlightenm ent o n ly after he
gave up the ascetic practice o f self-starvation. (See note 47.)
46. T h e Chinese w ords 租 行 ，literally “rou g h practices,” h a v e here been interpreted to
m ean ascetic practiccs. T h e T ibetan text does not have this sentence at all.
47. After the B odhisattva had e n d u red six years o f austerities w ith o u t attaining su­
prem e enlightenm ent, he resolved to resum e norm al eating habits. As he sat under a tree, a
w o m a n named Sujata approached the place, carrying a bowl o f m ilk-porridge w hich she
intended to offer to the tree-spirit. W hen she saw the Bodhisattva seated there, she was
m o v ed by his holy appearance and offered the food to him. After he had eaten the nourishing
meal, the B odhisattva w ent to the bodhi-trcc and attained suprem e enlightenm ent.
48. Soldiers m o u n te d on elephants, cavalry, charioteers, and infantry.
49. T h e ten deeds o f the B uddha are:
”

descent from T usita Heaven;

2) pure conception in a vision o f a white elephant;
?^

rem aining in his m o th e r’s w om b;

习

4)
birth from the right side;
6

renunciation o f the household life;

(v
six years o f austerities;
)

conquering all dem ons at the bodhi-site;

55
'

9)
0)
attaining suprem e enlightenm ent;
turning the D h a rm a-w hcel and enduring the ten distresses; and
entering parinirvana.
50. This is a central theme in this sutra. The Buddha was exempt from karmic
retribution because he was incapable of creating bad karma. Any apparent “misdeeds” com­
mitted by him were in fact ingenious methods to help other sentient beings, and were not
evil karma at all. However, by his power, he caused events to occur that appeared to be his
karmic retributions. H e did so, the text states, in order to prevent sentient beings from
do u bting the law o f karm a. (V.S.B.)
51. U sed as a medicine.
52. This refers to the fi vc Pure-Abode Heavens of the fourth dhyana heaven. It is said
that those w h o have eradicated defilem ents, the uarya saints，
’，can be born and reside there.
53. Referred to above as Cinca-M anavika, the w o m a n w h o accused the B u d d h a o f
fornication w ith her.
54. If they declined the patron’s invitation, they would prevent him from acquiring
any m erit at all. Also, they w o uld be breaking a promise.
55. Literally, “p u re .”
56. The Buddha’s cousin, who often sought to harm the Buddha out of spite.
57. T h at is, D evadatta, by his very malice, gave the B uddha m an y opportunities to
practice the paramitas, and to set an exam ple o f virtuous patiencc and compassion. In B u d ­
dhism . enemies arc considered to be greatly bcncficial to o n e ’s Dharm a-practicc.
58. This refers to the ten apparent afflictions, or distresses, which the Buddha faccd
after his enlightenment, all of which have been related above.
Glossary

acarya. A teacher or g uru, especially the teacher w h o im parts the precepts to m onks or
nuns during ordination,
afflictions. See “defilem ents.”
aggregates. (5cc also N um erical Glossary, 41five aggregates.， ，
）T h e• prim
j ary goal o f B uddhism
is to attain liberation. T h at w hich hinders liberation is the clinging to ego or self, that
is, to an entity w hich is indivisible, unchanging, definite, and eternal. In o rder to
elim inate this deep-rooted clinging, three m ajor practices are given: adherence to
precepts, practice o f m editation, and prajna or nonself (andtman) training.
B y applying the nonself observation in deep samadhi, the deeply entrenched
clinging to self can be broken and liberation obtained.
In order to practice nonself observation, a yogi should first have a thorough,
rational understanding o f h o w the erroneous concept o f self arises, and h o w it can
be eliminated. For this purpose, the very tedious and a w k w a rd B uddhist formulas,
such as the five aggregates, the tw elve entrances, and the eighteen elem ents, were
developed.
First, since the self is considered to be an eternal, definite, and indivisible unity,
the antidote to this idea is to em phasize that there is no such entity, but instead there
are only aggregates. For instance, w h e n w e analyze the so-called self, w e find only a
m o m e n tary , ever-changing, flowing, psycho-physical com plex of aggregates (com ­
ponents). Hence, w e have first the aggregate o f form , w hich includes all the bodily
organs, such as the eye, ear, brain, etc. G oing one step further, w e exam ine the m ental
aspects, in w hich w e cannot find a definite, indivisible entity. Instead, w e find concep­
tions, feelings, impulses, and m ental awareness.
A n other approach to analyze the so-called self is to regard it as an illusion
created b y the impact o f sense-objects upo n sense-organs. O n e such analysis is the
form ula o f the tw elve ayatanas, literally translated as ‘entrances， ，w hich are com posed
o f the six sense-organs and the six sense-objects. (T he six sense-organs should n ot be
treated m erely as biological organs. T h e y refer to the sense-organs-consciousness
complex). For example, the “ fo rm ” o f an object impresses itself u pon (“e n te rs”）the
eye and generates sight, and so forth w ith the other senses. This also includes the
m ind, w hich has dharmas, or things in general, for its objects. T h e fact that the sense
data, im pinging u p o n the sense-organs, generate m ental awareness indicates that there
470 G lossary

is no entity called “self” w h o perceives objects. Rather, there is a continuous, fluctuat­

ing process o f seeing caused by the com bination o f various factors.
A n o th e r device is the less confusing group o f eighteen elements: the six organs,
the six objects, and the six consciousnesses.
T h e reader should bear in m in d that the entrances and elements do not differ in
content, but sim ply in the m ethod o f analysis. Above all, it should be stressed that
these three m a jo r devices (the aggregates, entrances, and elem ents) are for the purpose
o f nonself observation leading to spiritual liberation. (G.C.)
Ajatasatru. Son o f K ing Bimbisara o f M agadha. Abetted by the rebellious D evadatta, he
usurped the throne, im prisoned his parents, and starved them to death. After he had
conquered and annexed neighboring states, laying the foundation for the unification o f
India, he becam e afflicted w ith a skin disease. Remorseful, he w e n t to the B u d d h a to
repent his sin and take refuge in him . After the B u d d h a ’s parinirvana, King Ajatasatru
sponsored the five hundred Arhats to collect the B u d d h a ’s teaching. Indian B uddhism
is greatly indeb te d to the converted K ing Ajatasatru for its prevalence and prosperity.
Ajita. ‘T h e Invincible O n e ，；an epithet o f Maitreya.
Akanistha Heaven. T h e highest heaven in the Realm o f Form,
alayavijnana. See “store consciousness.”
all-know ing w isd o m (Skt. sarvajna). T h e B u d d h a ’s w isdom o f omniscience. Because the
Buddha is the e m b o dim ent o f perfection, his w isd o m is also perfect. It is o f tw o types:
vertical and horizontal. T he form er is penetrative w isdom , k n o w in g the underlying
truth, or suchness, o f all things. T h e latter is all-embracing w isdom , k n o w in g the
form s and characteristics o f all dharm as.
A m itabha B uddha. T he "B ud d h a o fln fm ite L ight," also called Am itayus. See C h a p te r 18.
Ananda. A cousin, a n d long-tim e attendant, o f Sakyam uni Buddha. A nanda was noted for
his great learning and was present at most o f the B u d d h a ’s preachings. H e was said to
re m e m b er all the sutras, and to ha v e recited them at th e tim e o f their compilation.
Anathapindada, G arden of. A garden in the Jeta G rove near Sravasti, w h e re Sakyam uni
B ud d h a gave n u m ero u s serm ons. So nam ed because it was donated to the B uddha by
the elder Anathapindada. See ‘‘Jeta G ro v e .”
A rhat. A saint w h o has fully realized the truth o f nonself and eradicated all passions and de­
sires. O n e w h o has reached the highest stage o f enlightenm ent in H lnayana B uddhism ,
arising (Skt. utpatti or utpdda). T his w o rd appears frequently in M ahayana texts, often in the
negative form . It denotes the appearance, production, o r c o m in g into b eing o f a thing
o r event. A ccording to the emptiness (sunyata) view , that w h ic h arises from dependent
generation is by nature empty, hence all arising things are illusory (mdyd).
asura. A dem i-god often grouped with the devas (gods) in the five planes o f existence.
Asuras, th o u g h they have great good fortune, are k n o w n for their quarrelsom eness
and jealousy to w a rd the devas. Female asuras are beautiful and male ones ugly.
Avalokitesvara ( C h . 観 自 在 菩 蓬 ）• A B odhisattva w h o will com e to the aid o f anyone w h o
invokes his name. T his B odhisattva is the e m b o d im e n t o f the com passion o f all
Buddhas. H e appears in m an y sutras and tantras, and plays an im p ortant role in m ost
M ahayana activities. Avalokitesvara is w o rsh ip p e d in either a male or a female form in
the various B uddhist countries.
A \ odhya. T h e capital o f Kosala.

bardo (Skt. antardbhdva, Tib. bar-do). T he interm ediate stage betw een death and rebirth,
bhiksu. See " m o n k ."
 G lossary 471

bhiksunl. See “nun.”

bhum i. See N um erical Glossary, “ten stages of a B odhisattva.”
birth b y transform ation. W hen a being is suddenly bo rn w ith all the sense-organs and limbs
o f a com plete body, w ith o u t d epending on anything such as an egg or a w o m b , he is
said to be b o rn by transform ation, or b o rn ethereally. All hell-dwellers, devas, and
beings in the bardo; som e dragons, garudas, and h u n g ry ghosts; and hum ans bo rn
at the very beginning o f a kalpa are born in this manner.
T h e Chinese for this term is 化 生 ; it is difficult to find an exact equivalent in
E nglish for it. Som e scholars use ‘birth by transform ation， ，‘m ctam orphic b i r th ，
，or
‘m iraculous birth，，but none o f these are com pletely accurate. Sincc the m ajor portion
of sentient beings arc 化生 ，it cannot be considered “miraculous” at all, or even
magical— it is a com m o n phe n o m e n o n in the cosmos. W c use the term ‘birth by
transform ation，or ‘ethereal b irth ，
.
blessings. The Chinese term 福德， a translation of the Sanskrit word punya, has a variety of
m eanings and usages, as do karm a, dharm a, bodhicitta, etc., and it is impossible to
translate it correctly into English. W e translate it as virtue, m erit, fortune, blessing,
blessed deed, m eritorious deed, and so forth in different contexts. H ow ever, the
reader should bear in m in d that none o f these translations is a com pletely satisfactory
one.
W hen translated as ‘blessing， ，it should not be und e rsto o d in the theological
sense, i.e., as that w hich is bestow ed by the gracc o f G od. T h e blessings or fortunes in
the B u d d h ist sense arc caused by o n e ’s o w n k a rm a or previous actions,
bodhi. See "enlightenment.”
bodhicitta. T h e th o u g h t of, or spirit ot, enlightenm ent (also: th ought on, or in, enlighten­
m ent). Generally, it refers to the initial motivation o f a Mahayana Buddhist w h o
aspires to the attainm ent o f B u ddhahood for the benefit o f all sentient beings. As soon
as one arouses this aspiration, and makes a form al v o w to carry out the Bodhisattva’s
acts, one is considered to be a Bodhisattva, a ‘being for e n lig h ten m e n t， . This initial
aspiration and determ ination m ay be called the “th o u g h t o f e nlightenm ent.” W hen
one rcaches the first stage o f enlightenment, he no longer stays in sarhsara, but is fully
absorbed in the actualization of enlightenment. Hence, like all other Bodhisattvas who
have reached any of the ten stages {bhiimis), he can be said to possess “mind in
e n lightenm e nt.” Bodhicitta seems to have m any degrees o f profundity and applica­
tion, b ut the Sanskrit w o rd by itself does not suggest these distinctions,
bodhi-m ind. T h e same as “bodhicitta.”
B odhisattva. O n e w h o aspires to the attainm ent o f B uddh a h o o d and devotes him self to
altruistic deeds, especially deeds that cause others to attain enlightenment. See also
“b c J h ic itta .”
B odhisattva in his last existence. A Bodhisattva w ho will achieve B u ddhahood in this very
lifetime. A n exam ple w o u ld be Sakyam uni B uddha after he was born as Prince Sid­
dhartha and before he achieved B uddh a h o o d under the bodhi-tree.
A Bodhisattva in his last existence is different from a B odhisattva w h o has
attained the candidacy for Buddhahood in that the latter will achieve Buddhahood in
his next lifetime. A n exam ple o f the latter w o uld be Sakyam uni B uddha w hen he was
in the Tusita Heaven, awaiting his birth to Q ueen Maya.
Bodhisattva-Mahasattva. A Bodhisattva w h o has reached the advanced stages o f enlightenment,
bodhi-seat. T h e seat u pon w hich the Buddha sat during his enlightenm ent, under the bodhi-
tree. All Buddhas are enlightened upo n a bodhi-seat, according to tradition,
bodhi-site. T h e place w here a B uddha is enlightened.
472 G lossary

bodhi-tree. T he tree under w hich a B uddha sits during his enlightenm ent. Som etim es it
sym bolizes B uddhahood.
Brahma. T h e g od w ho, in the H indu view, created the world. In B uddhism , one o f the
m ajor gods. W hen uncapitalizcd, the w o rd indicates the corresponding g od o f any
particular w orld, not only the B rahm a o f this world,
brahmacarin. A brahmin who practices spiritually pure acts, such as celibacy, diligent study,
refraining from taking intoxicants, and so on. A person w h o is undergoing the train­
ing o f the first o f the four stages o f a brahmin.
Brahm a Heaven. A dhyana heaven in the Realm o f F orm w here the god B rahm a dwells,
according to Buddhist (not H indu) tradition,
brahm in. A H in d u priest and scholar. B rahm ins have the highest social rank in the fourfold
caste system in H indu tradition.
Buddha. A Suprem ely Enlightened O ne, or ‘A w akened O n e ， . A ccording to M ahayana tradi­
tion, B u d d h a Sakyam uni is the present one in a series o f Buddhas, past and future.
B u d d h a -D h a rm a . T h e all-encom passing principle about reality as e x p o u n d ed by the Buddha.
See “Dharma.”
B uddha-land. A universe in w hich a particular B uddha dwells and teaches.
B uddha-nature. T h e basic, quintessential nature o f sentient beings, w hich is identical w ith
the nature o f B uddha, w ith o u t any differentiation w hatsoever. Sentient beings w ander
in sarhsara because they do not realize their B uddha-nature. T h e com plete unfoldm ent
o f B u d d h a -n atu re is suprem e enlightenm ent itself. Thus, B u d d h a -n atu re is also the
seed o f Buddhahood.
Buddha-vchicle. T h e G reat Vehicle, o r Mahayana.

candidacy for B uddhah ood. A B odhisattva is said to be a candidate for B u d d h a h o o d w h e n

he achieves the stage from w hich B u d d h a h o o d is only one lifetime away; that is, he
w ill take o nly one m o re birth before he achieves B uddhahood.
For exam ple, B odhisattva Maitreya, w h o will succeed Sakyam uni B u d d h a as
the B u d d h a o f ou r w o rld, has attained candidacy for B uddhahood.
A n other term , ‘a Bodhisattva w h o will achieve B uddh a h o o d in his next life­
tim e 5, is an equivalent o f ‘a Bodhisattva w h o has attained candidacy for B u d d h a h o o d ，
.
See also “Bodhisattva in his last existence.”
causation. See “dependent generation.”
clear D harm a-eyc. T h e enlightened vision w hich clearly sees the four noble truths (for
Hlnayana), or the truth of the nonarising of dharmas (for Mahayana). In the M aha rat-
nakuta Sutra, this term mainly applies to Hlnayana. See “Stream-enterer•”
com passion. S ym p a th y for people w h o suffer, and the will to end their sufferings. M a h a ­
yana B uddhism greatly emphasized compassion, along w ith w isdom . These tw o form
the outstanding Mahayana virtues, sometimes callcd the “two-in-onc” (compassion-
wisdom ). T h e infinite com passion o f the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is reflected in
their constant attem pt to succor sentient beings,
c onditioned dharm as (Skt. samskrta). P h e n o m e n a w hich appear to arise due to causes and
conditions; things w hich are transient and changeable,
concentration. See “Samatha.”
craving (Skt. rdga or kdma). Also ‘desire， ，one o f the m ajor defilements. T h e basic w orldly
instinct o f grasping, especially manifested in lust, avarice, and greed.

defilem ents (Skt. klesa). T h e passions and ignorance that cause one to w ander in sarhsara and
hinder one from reaching enlightenm ent. Som etim es called “afflictions,” w hich em -
 G lossary 473

phasizes the effects o f defilements. O n e list o f the basic defilements names six: desire,
hatred (or anger), ignorancc (or delusion), arrogance, doubt, and wrong views. See
also Numerical Glossary, “three poisons.”
delusion (Skt. moha). Also translated as ‘ignorance’ or ‘blindness，
.
dem o n (Skt. mdra). T h e personification o f any defilement or negative tendency w hich hinders
one from practicing the Dharma. T h e beings in the Paranirm ita-Vasavartin H eaven
are also called “d e m o n s ,” or “celestial d e m o n s ,” for they are supposed to hinder
practioners of the Dharma. See Numerical Glossary, “four demons.”
dependent generation. Since all things in the phenom enal w orld are b ro u g h t into being by
the com bination o f various causes a n d conditions, they are relative and w ith o u t sub­
stantiality or sclf-cntity. F rom the transcendental viewpoint, this absencc o f self-entity
is called emptiness; from the phenomenal viewpoint, it is called dependent generation,
and is the ccntral doctrine o f B ud d h ism that denies the existence o f any form o f
eternal or substantial being. W h en applied to sentient b e in g s’ endless lives in saihsara,
it becom es the tw elve links o f dependent origination (q.v.).
In the Mahdratnakiita Siitra, we often find passages connecting emptiness with
de p en d e n t generation, or causation; how ever, no clear explanation is provided, for the
author of the sutra assumes that the cmptincss-causation relationship is understood by
the readers. For those to w h o m it is not obvious, the follow ing m a y be helpful:
1. All things in the phenomenal world are found to consist of and to depend on other
things. For exam ple, a b o o k consists o f paper, ink, and binding. A part from these
parts, there is nothing to be called “b o o k .” T h e paper, ink, and binding, too, can
be dissected into molecules and other particles. Everything in the w orld is divisi­
ble, so there arc no real entities. Therefore, objects are m erely nam e conglom erates
o f dependent parts w ith imputed, not real, cxistcnce. In this sense, all products o f
dependent generation are empty.
2. All entities of dependent generation arc pcrccivcd to exist in time. The classic
justification for calling them e m p ty from this v iew point is that the present does not
remain, the past has gone, and the future has not yet come.
3. All things are in continual flux, and momentarily changing, perishing as soon as
they arise. Since things are m o m entary, they have no duration, and that w h ic h is
w ith o u t duration cannot be said to be truly existent.
4. From the functional viewpoint, a thing may also change. (For example, if we use a
chair to feed a fire, it is no longer a “chair,” but “ fuel.”）Thus there is nothing w ith
real existence to be term ed “chair.”
5. From different viewpoints, a thing may be regarded in a totally different manner.
For exam ple, w hat is H 20 to the chem ist is som ething to drink for one w h o is
thirsty, and a place to dw ell for a fish. T herefore, “w a te r” is not a definite thing, as
w e w o u ld think. It is relative to the view point or sphere from w hich it is regarded.
For these reasons, all products o f d e p endent generation are said to be em pty.
(G .C .)
dependent origination. See N um erical Glossary, “tw elve links o f dependent origination.”
deva. A celestial being, o r god. G ods are on the highest o f the five planes o f existence in
samsara, and enjoy long life and celestial pleasure. W h e n the rew ards for their previ­
ous virtuous karm as end, how ever, they m ust fall from the heavens to be reborn in
other realms. Therefore, they also suffer greatly. Buddhists are urged not to strive for
tem p o ra ry heavenly bliss, but for perm anent liberation or enlightenm ent.
Devadatta. C ousin o f Sakyam uni Buddha, w h o m he rivaled and attem pted to thw art. For
his w icked designs on the B u d d h a he is said to have been sw allow ed up alive in
hell; nevertheless, he is predicted to becom e a B u d d h a as Devaraja.
474 G lossary

deva-ear. O n e o f six m iraculous powers. Supernatural hearing is the ability to hear the
sounds o f h um ans and n o nhum ans, distant and near sounds, and so on. T h e degree o f
this p o w er differs according to o n e ’s k a rm ic rew ard o r yogic achievement,
deva-eye. See Numerical Glossary, “six miraculous powers,” and “five kinds of eyes.”
devaputra. Literally, “son o f the g o d s,” but seems generally to denote a celestial being w h o
resides in a particular heaven,
dharani. 1. A sy nonym for mantra, spell, or incantation; 2. the capability o f holding in m ind the
vast a m o u n t o f the B uddha’s teachings; 3. extraordinary m e m o ry and com prehension.
D harm a. T h e teaching given by the Buddha; the m oral principles; the truth; the all-encom ­
passing principle that governs all manifestations o f things and events; transcendental
reality. (It is capitalized to distinguish it from ‘d h a rm a ，
，w hich refers to any thing or
phenom enon.)
dharma. A thing, phenomenon, event, attribute, being— a general term for anything re­
garded as an event or “entity.” Some Buddhist scholars disagree that ‘dharma’ means a
thing in general, and hold that the term denotes one o f the 75 particular dharm as
m entioned in the A bhidharm a literature. In M ahayana texts, h ow ever, ‘d h a rm a ，clearly
denotes a thing or p h e n o m e n o n o f any kind.
Dharma-body. See Numerical Glossary, “three bodies of the Buddha.”
dharm adhatu. Literally, “the realm o f d h a rm a s.” H ow ever, in B u d d h ist texts it has four
meanings:
1. T h e nature or essence o f dharm as (the sam e as tathata), w hich is the unifying, u n ­
derlying reality regarded as the g ro u n d o f all things, b o th n oum enal and phenomenal.
2. Infinity; the all-embracing totality of the infinite universes as revealed before the
B u d d h a ’s eyes.
3. In certain sutras, denotes one of the eighteen elements: the dharma-elemcnt; that is,
the m ental objects (dharmas).
4. T he infinite universe per se.
T h e reader should bear in m ind that 'd h a rm a d h a tu 5 m ay have any o f the above four
m eanings.
D h a rm a -d o o r. A figurative term for a specific doctrine, im plying that it is an e n try -w a y to
understanding o f the D harm a.
Dharma-eye. See Numerical Glossary, “five kinds of eyes.”
D harm akaya. See N um erical Glossary “three bodies o f the B u d d h a •”
D harm a-nature. T h e quintessence, o r true nature, o f all things. Same as ‘em ptiness ，，‘such-
ness ，，‘reality，
，or 'dharm a d h atu 5; in som e schools, ‘B u d d h a -n atu re ，
.
dharm a-nature. T h e apparent nature o f phenom ena, or the nature o f a particular thing.
Dharma-realm. See “dharmadhatu.”
D h a rm a-w heel. “T u rn in g the D h a rm a-w h e e l” is a figurative expression for preaching the
D harm a. An eight-spoked w heel is the sym bol o f the D harm a.
dhyana (Ch . 定 or 禪定 )• An equivalent of samadhi in Buddhism. We find that, in many
M a hayana sutras, these tw o w o rd s are used interchangeably. Som e B uddhist scholars
are o f the opinion that 定 is exactly samadhi. T h e difference lies perhaps in the fact
that dhyana stresses the unifying aspect. Samadhi is considered the highest state o f
yogic achievem ent in H induism . H ow ever, in B u d d h ism there are innum erable kinds
o f samadhis. In reading B uddhist scriptures, one should bear in m ind that the usage o f
the word samadhi is quite different from that of the Hindu tradition. See also “medita­
tion” and Numerical Glossary, “four dhyanas.”
 G lossary 475

dhyana heavens. This refers to the four dhyana heavens o f the Realm o f Form and the four
d hy a n a heavens o f the R ealm o f Formlessness. Each o f the first four contains four
heavens; together w ith the four formless dhyana heavens, th e y total 20. A ccording to
tradition, o n e w h o attains certain kinds o f m editation w ill be reborn in the dhyana
heavens, but he will not stay there eternally. T he dhyana heavens are still in the realms
o f sarhsara.
D h y a n a o f the Cessation o f Feelings and T houghts. A state o f pure concentration in w hich
one’s m ind and m ental functions stop arising. It is achieved by parting w ith the
defilem ents o f the formless dhyanas. T h e saints w h o abhor the fatigue o f the dis­
tracted, fluctuating m in d in sarhsara can tem porarily enter this dhyana, and thereby
im m ediately dwell in a state similar to that o f nirvarta. This should n ot be confused
with the dhyana o f no thought, which belongs in the fourth dhyana heaven o f the
F orm Realm.
DTparhkara B uddha. T h e B u d d h a w h o prophesied Sakyam uni's attainm ent o f enlighten­
ment. A ccording to legend, in a past life w hen Sakyam uni B uddha was still treading
the Bodhisattva-path, he b ro ught som e lotus flow ers to offer to DTparhkara Buddha,
and spread his hair over a puddle so the ancient B uddha could pass it unsoiled. U p o n
doing that, he attained the Realization o f the N onarising o f D harm as and received the
prophecy o f his attainm ent o f B uddhahood.
discrimination (Skt. uikalpa). The fundamental cause of sarhsara: the mental function of dis­
tinguishing things. In reality, all phenomena are one and empty. The phenomenal
w orld appears to exist as a result o f discrimination. T ranscendental w isdom goes
beyond discrim ination, reaching the realm o f equality and nondifferentiation,
dragon (Skt. n^ga). A mythical snakelike being, usually said to be living in the oceans.
D ragons are believed to have m iraculous pow ers and to cause rain to fall in the world.

elem ents (Skt. dhatu, C h . 界 ) . See “aggregates ”； See also N um erical Glossary, “eighteen
elem ents,” and, in other contexts, “four elem ents.”
em ptiness (Skt. sunyatd). T h e void or insubstantial nature o f everything; the central teaching
o f B uddhism . T h ro u g h realization o f emptiness one attains liberation and the perfec­
tions o f B u d dha hood. E m ptiness is not a nihilistic void, but a w ondrous state wherein
dynam ic events and dramas can take place. T ru e realization o f emptiness is a state free
o f all types o f clinging, a state encom passing all and unifying all.
enlightenm ent (Skt. bodhi). In the M ahayana sense, enlightenm ent is the aw akening to the pri­
m ordial, fundam ental truth o f suchness (tathata) and to the innate B uddha-nature in all
beings. To be enlightened is to dwell in the constant, living realization of one's own
Buddha-nature, as well as that of other beings. See also “supreme enlightenment.”
entrances (Skt. ayatana Ch. A ). See “aggregates,” and Num erical Glossary, "twelve entrances.”
equality. A “characteristic” o f the reality o f all dharmas, w hich are one, nondual, unditter-
entiatcd, and not to be discriminated. Equality is often illustrated by e m p ty space,
eternalism. See Numerical Glossary, “two extreme views.”
ethereal birth. This refers to all f 匕生 o r metamorphic births, such as those o f devas, asuras,
，

h u n g ry ghosts, and inhabitants o f hell, the Pure Land, and the bardo. See “birth by
transformation. ”

field o f blessings. A figurative term for som eone w h o is w o rth y o f offerings. Just as a field
can yield crops, so people will obtain blessed karmic results if they m ake offerings to
one w h o deserves them . T h ere are m any kinds o f “fields o f blessings ”：m onks, e n ­
lightened beings, parents, the poor, etc., including animals.
476 G lo ssa ry

gandharva. A m ythical spirit that feeds on fragrancc and gives forth a fragrant odor. G a n ­
dharvas arc Indra’s musicians,
garuda. A m ythical bird w ith strong, large wings. It feeds on dragons,
gatha. A stanza, a set o f verses,
giving. See Numerical Glossary, “six paramitas."
god. See “deva.”
g o o d planes o f existence. T h e states o f gods, asuras, and hum ans are the three ‘‘g o o d planes
of existence. ” These beings arc not subject to as much suffering as are animals, hungry
ghosts, and hcll-dwellers. In the three g ood planes, one has the opp o rtu n ity to practice
the D harm a; one cannot do so in the low er states,
g oo d roots (Skt. kusalamiila). V irtuous deeds accum ulated in past or present lives w hich
contribute to o n e ’s practice and realization o f the Dharm a.
G reat Vehicle. See 41M ahayana."

H eaven o f the T hirty-T h ree. A heaven in the Realm o f Desire, w ith thirty -tw o deva kings
presided over by Indra, thus totaling thirty-three; located at the sum m it o f Mt.
Sum eru.
hell. Hell in B udd h ism is actually a purgatory. It is n ot a hell in the C hristian sense, bccause
it is n ot perm anent. A lthough the duration o f life in hell m ay be long, depending on
the gravity o f o n e ’s karmic offenses, eventually it will be term inated, and the hell-
dweller will oncc m ore be born in higher planes o f existence.
H lnayana. “Small Vchicle” o r “Lesser Vehicle ”； the early B uddhism . A term coined by
M ahayanists to distinguish this school o f B udd h ism from M ahayana. It is so called
bccause the teaching o f this school puts emphasis on o n e ’s o w n Liberation, w hereas
the teaching o f M ahayana stresses the attainm ent o f B uddh a h o o d for all sentient b e ­
ings. H lnayana is n o w prevalent in southeast Asia, while M ahayana has spread over
the no rth ern area from Nepal to Japan,
h u n g ry ghost (Skt. preta). A denizen o f one o f the m iserable planes o f existence. Som e
h u n g ry ghosts have huge stom achs w h ic h alw ays b u rn w ith h u n g e r, but tiny throats
th ro u g h w hich food cannot pass. O n e m ay be reborn in this state if he has extrem e
greed or avarice.

ignorance. See Numerical Glossary, “three poisons.”

illusion (Skt. mdyd). T hings in the phenom enal w orld are not real or substantial, as ordinary
people regard them to be. T h e y are transient, m om entary, indefinite, insubstantial,
and subject to constant alteration. In reality they are like p hantom s or hallucinations,
inapprehensible. The English word “apprehend” means “to seize, to perccive, to grasp men­
tally,11 and so forth. The Chinese phrase 不可f导 docs not cxactly mean “inapprehensi-
ble，” although it is close . 不 可 得 literally should be translated as “unobtainable” or
“unattainable,” w h ic h c ould apply b o th to the subjective perceiver o r to the object
w hich is perceived or grasped. Since w e are unable to find a better w o rd , w e use
“inapprehensible’，throughout to translate 不 可 得 . However, the reader is reminded
that wherever “inapprehensible’，appears, he should know that this denotes the com­
plete absencc of either the subject, i.e., the pcrceiver, or the perceived object, or both,
incantation (Skt. mantra or dhdram). Sacred or holy sounds blessed by a B u d d h a or a B o d h i­
sattva. B y reciting m antras one m ay receive blessings and spiritual guidance, and
obtain m iraculous powers.
Indra. See "S akra."
 G lossary 477

ingenuity (Skt. upaya). T h e ingenious, expedient, and even roundabout m eth o d s by w hich
a com passionate B u d d h a or B odhisattva teaches sentient beings and brings th em to
m aturity. Also m a y be translated as ‘skillful m eans.’

Jam budvipa. T h e ‘C o n tin e n t o f the Ja m b u T re e ，

，so called because it is overlooked b y a
gigantic Ja m b u tree grow in g on the su m m it o f M o u n t Sum eru. Ja m b u d v ip a is the
so u th ernm ost o f the four continents, supposedly the w orld in w hich w e hum ans live.
It is said to be w ide in the north and n a rro w in the south, shaped alm ost like a
triangle. We now think it probably denotes the sub-continent o f India.
Jeta G rove. A g ro v e near SravastI in India, originally o w n e d by a Prince Jeta and donated to
Sakyam uni B uddha. Site o f a m onastery, frequently the location o f D harm a-preachings
b y the Buddha.
JIva (or JIvaka). A c o n te m porary o f the B ud d h a and an influential sponsor and protector o f
B uddhism . Son o f K ing B im bisara by a concubine. O n his birth he is said to have
seized the acupuncture needle and bag. H e became fam ous for his medical skill and
was h o n ored as the king o f healers. ‘JIva’ can be rendered as ‘L ife-G iving， .

kalpa. A ccording to H in d u ism , a kalpa is one day for Brahm a, and consists o f 1,000 yugas
(1 yuga = 4,320,000 years), altogether 4,320,000,000 years for m ortals. H ow ever, in
B udd h ism , a kalpa generally indicates the length o f tim e betw een the creation and
recreation o f a w o r l d or universe, spanning the period o f a w o r ld ’s form ation, ex­
istence, destruction, and nonexistence. T here are different interpretations o f m easure­
m ent o f a kalpa in B uddhism . It often simply denotes a very long period o f time,
similar to an aeon. T here are small, m edium , great, and incalculable kalpas.
karm a. Literally, “action” o r “de e d .” It also m eans the effect o f a deed o r deeds that survives
death and contributes to the form ation o f o n e ’s next life. T he “law o f k a rm a ” asserts
that virtu o u s o r evil deeds o f body, speech, and m ind will inevitably bring correspond­
ing results to the doer, in this o r a future life. A gro u p o f people, such as a nation,
m ay create a c o m m o n karmic p o w e r that determ ines their fate o r destiny; the w hole
cosm os and all sentient beings, by implication, are driven on and on in an endless
circle b y this mystical pow er,
karm ic result. T h e natural rew ard or retribution for a deed, b ro u g h t about by the law o f
karm a. See “k a rm a .”
Kasyapa. See "M ahakasyapa."
Kasyapa B uddha. O ne of the Buddhas w ho have appeared in this kalpa.
Kausika. A n epithet o f Sakra.
kinnara (kimnara) A kind o f m ythical celestial musician. It has a horse-like head w ith one
horn, and a b o d y like that o f a hum an. T h e males sing, and the females dance.
Kosala. A region in ancient India divided into N o rth e rn Kosala (the m od ern O ude) and
S outhern Kosala (the m od ern C entral Provinces),
ksatriya. O n e o f the four Indian castes; the w arrior and ruling class.
k um bhaiida. A ghost shaped like a gou rd or pot; or w ith a scrotum shaped thus. It devours
the vitality o f men.

Last Era. T h e third and final era o f the presence o f the D h a rm a in the w orld, w hen genuine
B uddhism alm ost disappears. T h e first era is the period im m ediately follow ing the
B u d d h a ’s parinirvana, w h e n people teach and practice the true D h arm a, and m an y can
achieve various stages o f genuine enlightenm ent. T h e second era begins w hen the
478 G lossary

D h a rm a is taught and practiced in a “ diluted” m anner, but certain sam adhis and
realizations are still possible. In the third era, only the appearance o f the D h a rm a
rem ains, few care to practice it, and realization is extrem ely difficult to attain.
Lesser Vehicle. See “ H lnayana.”
liberation. Freedom from the suffering and entanglem ent o f sarhsara.
lion’s roar. A figurative expression to denote the preaching o f the B uddha o r an advanced
Bodhisattva. Such preaching can o v ercom e all erroneous doctrines, ju st as a lio n ’s roar
can subdue all the beasts o f the jungle.
lion-throne. A glorified throne adorned by lions, on which the Buddha may sit to preach. It
is often depicted in M ahayana art.
long night. A figure o f speech denoting the perdurable suffering and darkness o f sarhsara.

M adhyam ika. T h e “M iddle W ay11 School o f B uddhism , founded by N agarjuna and his
followers. Its tenets are m ainly based u pon the Prajnaparam ita Sutra group, stressing
the teaching of emptiness (sunyatd).
M agadha. A n ancient kingdom in central India, the center o f B uddhism up to about A .D .
400. Rajagrha was its capital city.
magical p roduction. A miraculous feat such as the creation o f form s out o f nothing. Som e
gods and even h u m an s can also effect m agical productions. Therefore, such p o w e r is
n ot evidence o f enlightenm ent.
magically produced being. A being tem porarily created for a specific purpose by the m iracu­
lous p o w e r o f a Buddha or high Bodhisattva. Also, an illusory being conjured up by a
magician.
magically produced Buddha (C h. 化 佛 ）• An illusory Buddha-form produced with miraculous
powers. This is different from the incarnated Buddha (Skt. nirmdnakdya, C h . )—
— 化 身

see Numerical Glossary, “three bodies of the Buddha.” A magically produced Buddha
o r B o dhisattva is identical in form w ith an actual B uddha or B o dhisattva and can
interact w ith sentient beings.
Mahakasyapa. A chief disciple o f Sakyam uni Buddha, forem ost in the practice o f austerities.
M aham audgalyayana. O n e o f the Buddha's m ain disciples, w h o was noted for his pow ers
to perform m iraculous feats.
M aharatnakuta Sutra. Literally, “T h e G reat Jewelled Pinnaclc Sutra,11 or “Jewelled Heap
S u tra,11 indicating that this sutra is like a jew elled su m m it or a treasury o f jewels.
M ahayana. T h e “G reat Vehicle” o f B uddhism , w hose followers v o w to attain enlightenm ent
for the sake o f delivering all other sentient beings from suffering. T he spiritual hero o f
the M a h a y an a is the Bodhisattva (q. v.)，in w h o m the virtues o f w is d o m and com pas­
sion are stressed and balanced.
m ahoraga. A m ythical being w ith a head shaped like a python, and a m an-like body.
M aitreya. Literally, “the kind o n e ”；a great Bodhisattva. T h e future B u d d h a after Sakya­
m uni, w h o will com e to this w o rld to teach the D harm a.
Manjusrl. T h e youthful B odhisattva w h o is the em b o d im en t o f the w isd o m o f all Buddhas.
Mara. T he chief dem on, w h o usually creates hindrances to D h a rm a practice. Also called
Papiyan.
mava. See illusion.
- - o “ .11 • 11

meditation (dhyana). A state o f pure concentration, in which the meditator and the object
m editated upo n are unified. Also, a general te rm for serene contem plation. T h e re are
 G lossary 479

n u m e ro u s ways to m editate, but all o f them are m eth o d s to purge unw holesom e
thoughts and desires, and to cause one to reach insight or realization o f the highest
w isdom .
W e have translated ‘dhy a n a ’ as ‘m editation’ w here the te rm is used in a general
sense. W hen the m ore technical m eaning is intended, w e have retained the Sanskrit
word. See also “dhyana,” “samadhi,” and Numerical Glossary, “four dhyanas.11
m iddle way. T he “w a y ” that falls on neither side o f such extrem es as nihilism and eternal-
ism, asceticism and hedonism , being and nonbeing, samsara and nirvana, etc.
mindfulness (Skt. smrti). 1. In Hlnayana, it is a meditational device for practicing the nonsclf
(andtman) doctrine; 2. in M ahayana, refers generally to the practice o f holding to
correct th o u g h t or a right m ental state,
miserable planes o f existcncc. T h e three low er states o f sariisara: hell-dwcller, hun g ry ghost,
and animal. T o be born in a miserable state is the result o f evil k a rm a c o m m itted in a
past life. W hen the retribution for that k a rm a is completed, one will again be born in a
higher state.
m onk. U sually refers to a fully ordained m o n k (Skt. bhiksu).
M o u n t Grdhrakuta. “Vulture Peak,11 a m ountain w here the B uddha often preached, located
near Rajagrha in Central India.
M o u n t Sum eru. Also callcd M o u n t M eru. T he mythical m ountain o f ancient Indian cosm ol­
ogy, located at the ccntcr o f each world.
M uni. In Sanskrit this m eans a ‘seer’ or a ‘sage ，；from the Chinese it translates as ‘H e w h o is
capable o f doing virtuous things'. W hen used as a proper noun, it refers to the Buddha
(cf. “^kyam uni Buddha").
N arayana. In Indian m y th o lo g y , N arayana is som ew hat like an Indian version o f Hercules.
He is an immensely strong being,
nihilism. See Numerical Glossary, “two extreme views.”
N irm anakaya. See N um erical Glossary, “three bodies o f the B u d d h a .”
N irm anarati H eaven. T h e heaven o f “transform ational delight.” O n e o f the heavens o f the
Realm o f Desire, loeated above M o u n t Sumeru.
nirvana. O riginally m eant total extinction o f desire and suffering. Refers to the state o f
liberation th rough full enlightenm ent. In Mahayana, nirvana is classified into four
categories:
1. nirvana with residue, the state of a person who has realized the nature of nirvana,
but has not yet eliminated the five aggregates;
2. nirvana w ith o u t residue, w herein the aggregates have been eliminated;
3. svabhava nirvana (Ch■自 性 程 藥 ）
, the primeval nirvana which is always present,
w h ether w e realize it or not; and
4. nonabiding nirvana, in w hich one abides neither in sariisara nor in ultim ate quies­
cencc. This is the nirvana o f the Buddhas and the highest Bodhisattvas.
nonarising (Skt. anutpada). Never coming into being; not truly existing. See “arising,
nonregression. O n e w h o has reached realization o f emptiness or B uddha-nature will never
regress from the Bodhisattva-path. N onrcgression som etim es simply denotes an ad­
vanced stage o f aspiration and practice from w hich one will never retreat. Some
sources say nonrcgression is not reachcd until the eighth o f the ten stages o f a B o ­
dhisattva (q. v., N um erical Glossary).
Nonreturner (Skt. and^dmin). An enlightened being in the third stage of the four classes of
H lnayana enlightenm ent, w h o will no m ore return to the Realm o f Desire, b ut will be
480 G lossary

bo rn in a heaven in the Realm o f Form or Formlessness and attain Arhatship

there.
nun. U sually refers to a fully ordained n un (Skt. bhiksum).

O n c e -returncr (Skt. sakrdd^dmin). A n enlightened being in the second stage o f the H inayana
path, w h o has realized the four noble truths and has eradicated a great portion o f
defilements. H e will return to the h u m a n w o rld for only one m ore rebirth before
he rcaches full realization o f Arhatship.
outflow . A nother nam e for defilement (q.v.).

Paplyan. See “Mara.”

paramita. This can be translated as ‘the perfection of . . .1 or ‘reaching the other shore by
means of . . It may have both meanings in Mahayana sutras. ‘Perfection’ implies
the positive aspcct, whereas ‘reaching the other shore’ refers to the transcending aspect.
Paramita is the ccntral practice of a Bodhisattva. It is sometimes divided into
six or ten, m aking the six (or ten) paramitas (q.v.).
Paramita practicc is the cultivation of one's potential intelligence, love, and
will. W hen all these three potential capacities, or “B uddha-sceds，， ，are cultivated to
pcrfcction, param ita practice is completed.
Paranirm ita-Vasavartin Heaven. T he dwelling place o f Papiyan the Mara. T he heaven o f
the “enjoym ents o f delights crcated by o th e r s / ，T he sixth o f the six heavens in the
Realm o f Desire.
parinirvana. According to the Hinayana conccpt, one who realizes nirvana in his lifetime
will enter parinirvana at death, and will not be reborn. For the Mahayana view, see
"nirvar ia.M
path (Skt. marga). The way along which a Dharma practitioner proceeds toward liberation
and enlightenm ent.
patiencc. See Numerical Glossary, “six paramitas.11
passions. See “defilem ents.”
play-w ords. W ords derived from delusive thinking and discrimination, w hich have no real
value or serve no practical purpose for religious awakening. T hus, in the Buddhist
sense, all metaphysical speculations and all form s o f “ism s” are play-w ords, for they
are n ot only useless in o n e ’s search for truth, but are also not conducive to liberation
o r realization. Play-w ords, in “em ptiness literature,” often refer to any form o f cling­
ing to extrem es, such as the doctrines o f nihilism, eternalism, m onism , dualism, and
so forth. A n y view s that im ply ‘self-nature’ (suabhdua) clinging, and are expressed in
w ords, are play-w ords.
p o w e r o f k n o w in g others' m inds. Also rendered as “p o w e r o f reading th o u g h ts .” O n e o f the
six m iraculous pow ers.
Prajnaparam ita. T h e param ita (or perfection) o f w isdom . Also refers to an im p ortant and
voluminous sutra group in which the doctrine of emptiness (sunyata) is taught.
Prajna is translated as intuitive w isdom , in contrast to the m u ndane w isd o m o f
conceptual know ledge. Prajna w isd o m is a transcendental, mystical, im m ediate, and
direct “seeing” or realization o f the ultim ate truth. This “seeing” or realization, h o w ­
ever, has m an y degrees o f profundity and thoroughness.
T h at w hich the prajiia w isd o m k n o w s or sees is the om nipresent suchness
(tathatd), w hich is som etim es callcd the prajnaparam ita o f reality. T h e intuitive w is­
do m is som etim es callcd the prajnaparam ita o f observation; that is; the intuitive or
transcendental seeing by the subject. T hird is the prajnaparam ita o f w ords, the expres­
 G lossary 481

sion o f the o th e r tw o th rough sym bols. Thus, the Prajnaparam ita literature is m erely
the prajnaparam ita o f w ords.
Pratim oksa. T h e rules o f con d u ct for guarding against evil bodily and verbal actions, thereby
freeing one fro m the bondage o f defilements. It is slightly different from the Vinaya in
that it refers to a specific set o f rules practiced by b oth m onks and laym en, while the
V inaya deals only w ith the discipline prescribed for ordained m onks.
Pratyekabuddha. In H lnayana, a self-enlightened being w h o has contem plated dependent
origination and thus attained realization o f truth w ithout a teacher,
precepts. V o w s o f m oral conduct taken by lay and ordained Buddhists. T here are five vow s
for lay Buddhists, and 250 for fully ordained m onks. See also N um erical Glossary,
“five lay precepts.”

Rajagrha. A n ancient city in Central India, located near the present-day to w n o f Rajgir. T h e
capital o f the ancient dom ain o f M agadha.
raksasa. A terrifying ghost or d e m o n w ith a black body, red hair, and green eyes. Raksasas
are reputed to be dcvourcrs o f hum ans,
reality. C a n refer to the eternal, unchanging, all-embracing truth, w hich is no other than
suchness, dharm adhatu or the D harm a-body; in other contexts it refers to ‘‘reality， ，in
the ordinary sense.
realization. Im m ediate, direct “seeing” o r “perception” o f reality, in contrast w ith m ere
conceptual understanding, w hich is indirect and secondary.
Realization o f C om pliance w ith the D h a rm a -T ru th . T h e w o rd ‘realization’ is here a render­
ing o f the Skt. ksdnti, C h . 忍 ，w hich literally means ‘paticncc’ or ‘tolcrancc， ，but in
extension also means ‘acceptance ，， ‘re cognition， ，or ‘realization， . In the proccss of
practicing the B u d d h a ’s teaching, there is a stage w here one rccognizcs, accepts, and
com plies w ith the tru th that th ere is no self-substance in any dharm a, even though one
m ay n ot yet have fully realized the prajna truth. T h e actual acceptance o f and c o m ­
pliance w ith this truth is called the Realization o f C om pliance w ith the D h a rm a-T ru th .
W hen one goes a step further and realizes fully this truth o f suchness, he is said to
attain the Realization o f the N onarising o f D harm as.
Realization o f the N onarising o f D h a rm a (Skt. anutpdda-dharma-ksanti). ‘Realization’ here is a
free translation o f ksdnti, which literally means ‘patience， ，or ‘patient acceptance， . An
enlightened B odhisattva o f the eighth stage (some say the first) has fully realized the
nonarising nature o f all things. Therefore, he is said to have truly achieved the Realiza­
tion o f the N onarising o f D harm as.
realization o f the profound D harm a. T h e direct, im m ediate realization o f the profundity and
em ptiness o f dependent generation. It is o f several kinds, including “the Realization o f
Com pliance w ith the D h a rm a -T ru th ” (q.v.).
Realm o f Desire. See N u m erical Glossary, “three realm s.”
Realm o f Form . See N um erical Glossary, “three realm s.”
Realm o f Formlessness. See N um erical Glossary, “three realm s.”
refuge. T h e B uddha, the D h a rm a, and the Sarhgha are the three refuges in w hich Buddhists
put their trust and reliance,
relics (Skt. sarira). W hen an enlightened being dies and his b ody is cremated, certain in co m ­
bustible particlcs are found in the ashes. This p h e n o m e n o n is believed to be due to the
enlightened being’s accomplishments. Such relics are said to have been left b y in­
num erable saints and Bodhisattvas. N aturally, true relics o f the B u d d h a are m ost
treasured.
482 G lossary

renunciation. A ccording to B uddhist teaching, the first step to w ard serious D harm a-practice
is to renounce all worldly ties and desires,
right action (also, right concentration, effort, livelihood, mindfulness, speech, thought, and
view). See N um erical Glossary, “eightfold noble path."
rei. A yogi o r saint w h o dwells in a hermitage.

Saha W orld. This w orld, in B uddhist cosm ology. ‘Saha’ means ‘to b e ar ，； thus, sentient
beings o f this w orld, like the earth w hich bears all burdens, m ust bear misery, defile­
m ent, and contention.
Sakra. T he chief god o f the Heaven o f the T hirty-T hree. A protector o f B uddhism . An
epithet o fln d ra . W hen uncapitalized, 'sakra' indicates the equivalent god o f any world,
n ot Sakra o f the Saha W orld. In a billion-w orld universe there are one billion Heavens
o f the T hirty -T h re e and one billion sakras.
Sakya Clan. O n e o f the im portant clans o f the ksatriya caste in N o rth e rn India, o f w hich
G autam a B uddha was a m em ber.
Sakyam uni Buddha. Sakyam uni literally means ‘Sage o f the Sakya C lan ， . T h e nam e o f the
B uddha o f this age, also called Gautama.
sam adhi. It usually denotes the particular, final stage o f pure concentration. In M ahayana
B uddhism , ho w e v e r, samadhi is defined m ore generally: there are innum erable sam a­
dhis, n ot only o f static, serene nature, but also w ith the dynam ic and pow erful
functions of those who abide in spiritual realization. See also “d h y a n a.”
Sam antabhadra. A w e ll-k n o w n Bodhisattva whose particular eminence is the adherence to
profo u n d vows o f great compassion. H e is also the e m b o dim ent o f all B u d dhas，vow s
(or bodhicitta) and practices.
samapatti. This w o rd literally m eans ‘com ing to g e th e r ，， ‘m ee tin g ，
，or ‘c o m pletion，. It is
practically a s y n o n y m o f dhyana.
C hinese Buddhologists interpret samapatti as 等 至 : “th ro u g h the effort o f equi­
librium , the state o f samadhi is rcached.” ‘E quilibrium ’ here implies overcom ing both
distraction and drowsiness in m editation practice, thus reaching the state o f perfcct
absorption, or samadhi.
samatha. A m editational technique to calm the m ind to a state o f tranquility and concentra­
tion. It is practically an equivalent o f dhyana.
Sarhbhogakaya. See N um erical Glossary, “three bodies o f the B u d d h a .”
Sarhgha. See N u m erical Glossary, “T h ree Jew els .，，
samsara. T h e relentless cycle o f repeated birth and death in w hich ordinary, unenlightened
sentient beings are deeply entangled. T h e cause o f samsara is the presence o f defile-
i/ients, particularly desire, hatred, and ignorance.
Sariputra. O n e o f the principal disciples o f the Buddha, som etim es said to be the wisest
a m o n g them .
Satori. T h e Japanese pronunciation o f the Chinese w o rd “W u ” (q.v.).
self. Sentient beings consider the five aggregates (q.v.) to constitute a unitary self o r ego
(atman). This w ro n g idea derives from deep-rooted clinging.
self-entity. See “self-nature.”
self-nature (Skt. suabhaua). T hings in the phenom enal world are transient, m o m e n tary , and
w ith o u t duration; hence they have no self-nature (self-entity) or individual substan­
tiality. H o w ev e r, ordinary beings cling to the idea o f existence o r being (bhaua). This
clinging is called clinging to self-nature or self-entity. H ow ever, in som e contexts,
 G lossary 483

‘self-nature’ is used in an approbative sense to denote the B uddha-nature w ithin o n e ’s

m ind. T his usage is particularly c o m m o n in Z en literature,
sentient being. A n y living being w h o has a consciousness.
Sixth Heaven. T h e Paranirm ita-Vasavartin H eaven (q.v.), highest o f the heavens o f the
Desire Realm,
skillful means. See “ingenuity.”
spirit o f enlightenment. See “bodhicitta.”
spiritual provisions. Provisions for the jo u rn e y to w ard B uddhahood. T h e y are twofold:
provisions o f w isd o m (right understanding o f the D harm a) and provisions o f m erit
(virtuous deeds).
sram ana. A religious devotee, often a forest-dwelling ascetic, w h o attem pts to purify his
defilements; also, a m onk.
Sravaka. Literally “heare r.” O n e w h o has heard the B uddha's teaching. Generally denotes a
follow er o f the H inayana path. Sravaka is also translated as ‘disciple， .
Sravaka-vehicle. See N u m erical Glossary, “three vehicles•”
SravastI. A city and ancicnt k in gdom in India, n o w called Rapetm apct. T h e Jeta Grove,
w here Sakyam uni B u d d h a often preached, is near SravastI.
stage b eyond learning. T he highest stage o f H inayana developm ent, that o f Arhatship. From
the view point o f the Hinayana, no m ore learning or striving for religious achievem ent
is needed w hen one reaches this stage,
stage o f learning. O n e w h o has attained one oT the first three stages o f H inayana enlighten­
m ent before Arhatship— the stages o f a Stream-enterer, a O nce-returner, and a N o n -
rcturncr—is said to be in the stage of learning. According to Mahayana, although such
a person has reached some enlightenm ent, it is not complete; there is still m o re to be
learned and a fuller realization to be gained,
stage o f nonregression. A stage o f spiritual achievem ent in w hich a B odhisattva will never
fall aw ay from the stage o f a Bodhisattva and becom e a Sravaka, Pratyekabuddha, or
o rd in ary person. T h e re are different opinions concerning in w h ic h stage a Bodhisattva
attains the stage o f nonregression. Generally, how ever, it refers to the tim e w hen one
acquires the enlightened vision w hich sees the truth o f nonarising (the first stage), or
w hen one attains the Realization o f the N onarising o f D h arm as (the first or the eighth
stage).
stages of a Bodhisattva. See Numerical Glossary, “ten stages of a Bodhisattva•”
stillness. H e who realizes suchness perceives that all dharm as never arise or come into being,
and are “still” or peaceful th rough and th rough w ith o u t disturbance,
store consciousness (Skt. dlayauijndna). T h e fundam ental consciousness that underlies all other
consciousnesses; it holds all m em ories, form s a personality, sustains the efficacy o f
karma, and m akes religious progress and enlightenm ent possible. It is the seed o f the
D ha rm a-b o d y , the foundation o f b oth sarhsara and nirvana. O n e o f the m ost im ­
po rtant doctrines o f the Yogacara school.
Stream-enterer (Skt. srota-dpanna). One who has reached the first Hinayana stage, so called
because he has entered the “stre am ,” the undefiled noble path. Alternate translation o f
this term is ‘‘one w h o goes against the stre am ,” in w hich case th e stream represents
the current o f sarhsara. U p o n acquiring the enlightened vision w hich clearly sees the
four noble truths, one eradicates all the delusive views o f the three realms, such as the
view of a real self.. See “clear Dharma-eye.”
stupa. A m o n u m e n t built over relics (q.v.) o f Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, or saints.
484 G lossary

subdue. T o subdue a sentient being is to cause him or her to ab an d o n passions and other
hindrances to enlightenm ent. Subdue here does not m ean to vanquish by force, but to
convert by skillful persuasion, training, or the like.
Subhuti. O n e o f the B u d d h a ’s chief disciples, k n o w n best for his ability to e xpound the
doctrine o f emptiness, and for his achievem ent o f non-contention,
suchness (Skt. tathatd). Also, ‘thusness，
. Refers to Buddha-nature, Dharma-body, reality,
dharm adhatu, D harm a-nature. Reality is b eyond all w ords and descriptions, so in
referring to it, Buddhists often use the term ‘suchness，
. A frequent synonym is bhu-
tatathatd, ‘reality-suchness，
.
suffering. See Numerical Glossary, ‘‘four noble truths.”
sunyata. See “emptiness.”
supreme enlightenment (Skt. anuttara-samyak-sainbodhi). Same as supreme Buddhahood. The
Sanskrit means ‘unexcelled perfect enlightenment ，；i.e., the perfect wisdom which
com prehends truth that is attained only by a Buddha, in contrast to the different
grades of enlightenment attained by Bodhisattvas and saints,
sutra. A preaching o f the B uddha as recorded in docum ents. In the early stages o f Buddhist
history, sutras w ere m em orized, and only in later tim es w ere they w ritten dow n,
svabhava. See “self-nature.”
Tathagata. Literally, “the T h u s-C o m e O n e .” A title o f the Buddha. It m a y m ean he w h o has
come and gone as have former Buddhas— that is, he imparts the same truth and
follows the sam e path to the sam e goal. T h e M ahayana interprets T athag ata differ­
ently, as one w ho has attained full realization o f suchness (tathata), and w ho thus neither
comes from anyw here, n o r goes anywhere.
Tathagata-cmbryo (Skt. tathdgata-garbha). 1. The innate Buddha-nature (suchness) obscured
tem porarily b y defilements; 2. the “ storehouse” o f the B uddha’s teaching.
T athagata-vehicle. S ynonym ous w ith the Bohisattva-vehicle and the M ahayana (‘Great V e­
hicle1). ‘Bodhisattva-vehicle’ is used w hen referring to the cause and practice, while
‘Tathagata-vehicle’ is used when referring to the result. See also Numerical Glossary,
‘‘three vehicles.”
T heravada B uddhism . T h e ‘sect o f the elders 二 T h e sole survivor o f th e eighteen sects o f the
original H lnayana school. Som etim es called the Southern School, as it is prevalent in
Southeast Asia. See “Hlnayana.”
thusness. See “suchness.”
true D h a rm a. T h e equivalent o f the Chinese 正 法 ；here ‘tru e ’ is dam in T ibetan and sat in
Sanskrit. The Tibetan word dam can be translated in a number of ways: ‘true ，，‘emi-
” ent ，，‘o u tstan d in g ，，‘h oly ，， ‘right ，，etc.
truth. In these texts, usually denotes transcendental truth, or emptiness (sunyata)] also, Bud­
dha-nature, or suchness.
T usita Heaven. T h e heaven in the Realm o f Desire from w hich each B ud d h a descends to
earth. T h e ‘heaven o f c o n te n tm e n t，
. T h e present dwelling-place o f M aitreya, the next
B uddha o f ou r world.

u d u m b ara flower. A n u d u m b ara tree is said usually to bear fruit w ithout flowers. O n c e in a
very long period o f time it is said to bloom ; hence, the u d u m b ara flow er is a sym bol
o f the rare appearance o f a Buddha,
ultimate quiescence (C h . 寂 滅 ）• This term, as it appears in the Maharatnakuta Siitra, has a
variety o f m eanings. O ften it denotes the absolute, quiescent, still, and undisturbed
 G lossary 485

D h a rm a-nature, w hich is the pure transcendency above the distrubances o f samsara.

Secondly, it can refer to the realization o f the above-m entioned D harm a-nature. Also,
in som e cases it refers to the stage o f the D hyana o f the Cessation o f Feelings and
T h o u g h ts. F u rth e rm o re , it refers to the nature o f nirvana, w hich is no o th er than the
nature o f all dharm as.
ultim ate tru th (Skt. paramdrtha). Also m a y be translated as ‘first tru th ， . C o n n o te s the suprem e
truth, in contrast to m u ndane or expedient truth,
unconditioned dharm as (Skt. asamskrta). T hose dharm as w hich do not arise or cease, and are
n ot transient. Exam ples: nirvana, the D harm a-body, and the ancient philosophical
concept o f space.
U nexcelled Vehicle. T h e highest vchicle to B uddhahood; in these texts, the Mahayana.
U n in terrupted Hell (Skt. avid). T h e w orst o f the h ot hells, in w hich suffering, death, and
painful rebirth are continuous until the retribution fo r the suffer's evil k a rm a is ex­
hausted, at w hich tim e he or she will be re b o rn in a higher plane o f existence,
universal m onarch (Skt. cakravartin). In the Indian m ythological history o f the w orld, a u ni­
versal m onarch occasionally appears w h o is supposed to be a m ost pow erful and m e r­
itorious king capablc o f ruling the entire world.
Upali. A leading disciple o f Sakyam uni Buddha, fam ous for his know ledge o f Vinaya and his
observance o f it. H e was a m em b e r o f the siidras, the low est Indian caste,
upaya. See “ ingenuity.”

vajra. Literally “ a d ia m o n d .” Usually a sym bol o f the indestructiblc nature o f B u d d h a ’s

w isdom . A w eapon to c o n q u er d e m o n s and protect B uddhism ,
vehicle (Skt. ydtia). See N um erical G lossary, “three vehicles.”
vigor. See N u m erical Glossary, “six param itas.11
Vinaya. T he precepts for m o n k s and nuns, designed to help th em eliminate defilements. O n e
o f the m ajor sections o f the B uddhist canon,
vipasyana. T h e intuitive observation on the prajna tru th practiced in M ahayana m editations.

wisdom . See N u m erical Glossary, “six param itas.”

W o rth y Kalpa (Skt. bhadrakalpa). A kalpa is the period o f tim e betw een the creation and
recreation o f a w o rld or universe. In M ahayana tradition, the present kalpa is called
“ W o rth y ” because during its span, 1,000 B uddhas will appear to save sentient beings,
w ro n g views. Usually, views belonging either to nihilism or etem alism . M a y also m ean
w ro n g ideas about religious teachings. See also N um erical Glossary, “ four w ro n g
views. ”
Wu. T h e Chinese w o rd Wu ( 悟 ）can be translated as awakening, cognition, realization, or
enlightenm ent. It is w idely used by the Z en Buddhists to de n o te the intuitive realiza­
tion o f the B uddha-nature within o n e ’s o w n mind.

yaksa. A swift, pow erful kind o f ghost o r dem on, w hich is usually harm ful, but in som e
cases is a p rotector o f the D harm a. Som e yaksas, according to Buddhist m ythology,
live in the air, and som e on land.
Y am a Heaven. O n e o f the heavens in the Realm o f Desire, the ‘heaven o f constant jo y ' is
located above the H eaven o f the T hirty-T h ree.
Yam a Realm . A dismal place w here the dead are judged.
Yogacara. T h e n am e o f a B uddhist school, founded p ro bably in the fourth c en tu ry b y the
486 G lossary

b ro th ers A sanga and V asubandhu. It advocates the doctrine o f “m in d o n ly ”；i.e., all

dharm as o f sarhsara and nirvana are projections o f o n e ’s o w n m ind; hence everything
in the external w o rld is m erely an illusion.

Z en B uddhism . ‘Z e n ’ is the Japanese m ispronunciation o f the Chinese nam e Ch'an, w hich in

turn derives from the Sanskrit dhyana. A school o f M ahayana B uddhism in C hina
founded by B odhidharm a. T his school stresses the cultivation o f intuitive w isdom . An
extre m ely influential B uddhist sect in C hina and Japan.
N um erical Glossary

One Vehicle (Skt. Ekayana). A ccording to M ahayana B uddhism , the true teaching o f
the B uddha is p ro v id e d only in one vehicle_ the M ahayana. O th e r vehicles, such as
those o f the Sravaka and Pratyekabuddha, arc only expedient teachings I
pared. T h e O n e Vehicle is also called the Buddha-vehicle.

tw o extrem e views.
1. Nihilism: considering that things do not exist in any sense, even the delusory
manifestations o f the world; also, the tenet that nothing continues after death, i.e.,
the denial o f the doctrine o f reincarnation.
2. Eternalism: believing that there is true existence o f real being in objects, o r that
there is som e entity that exists forever.
tw o vehicles. T h e Sravaka-vehicle and the Pratyekabuddha-vehicle, w hich together c o n ­
stitute w hat is called Hinayana.

three bodies o f the B uddha (Skt. trikaya).

1. D harm akaya: T h e D h a rm a-b o d y , or the ‘bod y o f reality， ，which is formless, un ­
changing, transcendental, and inconceivable. S y n on ym ous w ith suchness, or e m pti­
ness.
2. Sam bhogakaya: the ‘b o d y o f e n jo y m e n t， ，the celestial b o d y o f the Buddha. Per­
sonification o f eternal perfection in its ultim ate sense. It “resides” in the Pure Land,
and never manifests itself in the m u n d an e world, but only in the celestial spheres,
accom panied b y enlightened Bodhisattvas. Exam ple: Vairocana in the Avatainsaka
Siitra.
3. N irm anakaya: the ‘incarnated body’ o f the Buddha. In order to benetit certain
sentient beings, a Buddha incarnates himself into an appropriate visible body, such
as that o f Sakyam uni Buddha.
T h e incarnated b ody o f the B uddha should not be cont used w ith a magically
produced Buddha. T h e form er is a real, tangible hu m an bod y w hich has a definite
life span. T h e latter is an illusory B u d d h a -to rm w hich is produced w ith m iraculous
pow ers and can be w ith d raw n w ith m iraculous powers. B oth types o f bodies are
translated in Chinese as 化 身 ，w hereas in T ibetan texts, the distinction is rather
488 N u m e r ic a l G lossary

clear: Nirmanakaya is translated as sprul-sku, and a magically produced as

sprul-pa.
three doors to liberation. Liberation is possible only th rough these three realizations:
1. All things arc devoid of a self (emptiness).
2. T here are n o objects to be pcrceived by sense-organs (signlessness).
3. No wish of any kind whatsoever remains in the yogi’s mind, for he no longer
needs to strive for anything (wishlessness).
three groups. People are divided into three groups according to their inclinations and views
(or achievement) in the present life. They are: first, the group dccided to pursue bodhi;
sccond, the group decided to pursue other faiths; and third, the undecided group.
A ccording to B uddhism , in the ultim ate sense every being will pursue bodhi
sooner or later, in this life or in the future, and eventually will achieve suprem e
enlightenm ent. Therefore, people n o w belonging to the group decided to pursue other
faiths o r the undecided group will be in the first group in their future lives.
T h ree Jewels.
1. The Buddha—the supremely enlightened being.
2. The Dharma_ the teaching imparted by Buddha.
3. T h e Sarhgha— the congregation o f m onks and nuns, or o f genuine D h a rm a fol­
lowers.
T hese three are said to be jew els because they can protcct one, im part truth, and fulfill
one's g ood wishes. T h e y arc also the refuges o f Buddhist followers. N ote: A B uddhist
should take refuge in the “jew el-like” Sariigha; i.e., the enlightened beings, n ot o r ­
dinary m o n k s and nuns, th o u g h they should also be respcctcd.
three periods o f time. T h e past, present, and future.
three poisons. T h e m ajor causes o f sarhsaric suffering:
1. Desire (Skt. kdma, rd^a, or trstid): lust or greed. Broadly, to try to “get hold of *，
something, and to have more and more of it. In its most specific sense, trmd refers
to sexual craving. Desire can also m ean avarice or any kind o f attachment.
2. Hatred or anger (Skt. duesa): animosity, aversion, rejection of what displeases one
o r infringes upo n o n e ’s ego.
3. Ignorance or delusion (Skt. avidya, moha): In Hlnayana, ignorancc implies holding
wrong views—clinging to nonself as self, etc. In Mahayana, there are two aspects:
first, w ro n g know ledge; and second, lack o f know ledge. W ro n g k n o w le d g e is the
same as the H lnayana concept. Lack o f know ledge means all the hindrances to
attaining the all-know ing wisdom o f B uddhahood. Therefore, eradication o f igno­
rancc or delusion in M ahayana requires, on the one hand, elim ination o f w ro n g
views, and on the other hand, the positive acquisition o f all-know ing w isdom .
three realm s (o f sariisara). T h e Realm o f Desire, the Realm o f F orm , and the Realm o f F o rm ­
lessness.
Sentient beings living in the Realm o f Desire possess lust, hatred, jealousy,
infatuation, and other passions. W ithin this realm there arc six different planes o f
existence: gods, asuras, hum ans, animals, h u n g ry ghosts, and hcll-dwellers.
T h e Realm o f Form contains sixteen heavens inhabited by various celestial
beings w h o have certain accomplishments in one o f the four dhyanas o f form.
T h e Realm o f Formlessness has four heavens, inhabited by those w ith different
accom plishm ents in one o f the four dhyanas o f formlessness. T h e heavens b oth in the
Realm o f F o rm and in that o f Formlessness arc classified according to the depth o f
dhyana attained in their form er lives by the celestial beings w h o dwell there.
three vehicles. T h e three paths to enlightenm ent: the Sravaka-vehicle, the Pratyekabuddha-
vchicle, and the Bodhisattva-vehicle (also called the Tathagata-vchicle).
 N u m er ic a l G lossary 489

three wheels. T hree com p o n e n ts or spheres o f an action: the actor, the object o f the action,
and the person w h o is affected by the action. For example, the three w heels o f the
action “g iv in g ” arc: the giver, the gift, and the recipient. All three, the B uddha
teaches, should be k n o w n as em pty, devoid o f self-nature. ‘W heels’ suggests som e­
thing that m ay destroy as well as m ove: w hen perform ing an action, one should crush
attachm ent to these three spheres and at the same time, by riding on the emptiness o f
the th ree wheels, m o v e tow ards perfection.

four bases of miraculous powers. 1. Strong aspiration; 2. vigor; 3. intense concentration; and
•--z 4. intense contemplation.
four continents. T h e four land areas centered around M o u n t Sum eru, according to ancient
Buddhist cosm ology: Ja m b u d v lp a in the south, PQrvavideha in the east, A paragodana
in the west, and U ttara k u ru in the north,
four currents. 1. Desire; 2. sarhsaric existence; 3. [wrong] views; and 4. ignorance. These arc
the defilements that sw eep aw ay the w hole so m e dharm as and cause sentient beings to
drift and d ro w n in the “torrential stre am ” o f samsara.
four demons (mdra). 1. Defilements; 2. the aggregates; 3. death; and 4. the Mara of the
Paranirm ita-Vasavartin Heaven (the sixth heaven in the Realm o f Desire). These four
are called dem ons because th ey brin g suffering and im p e d e o n e ’s D harm a-practice and
liberation.
four deva kings. T h e rulers in the four directions o f the low est o f the heavens in the Realm o f
Desire. T heir nam es arc: Vaisravania (in the north), D hrtarastra (in the east), Virudhaka
(in the south), and Virupaksa (in the west),
four dhyanas. Four stages o f m editation that correspond w ith the dhyana heavens (q.v.):
1. The first stage, in which one experiences joy and pleasure due to the relinquish­
ment of desire and unwholesome thoughts.
2. T h e second stage, in w hich one feels joy and pleasure due to concentration (one-
pointedness o f mind), w ith all thoughts overcom e.
3. The third stage, in which one dwells in subtle bliss due to the relinquishment of
joy-
4. The fourth stage, in which one experiences equanimity and pure awareness, and all
feelings o f joy and bliss are absent.
four elements. The four basic constituents of matter: 1. earth (solid matter), 2. water (liquid),
3. fire (heat), and 4. air (energy or m otion),
four fearlessnesses. T h ere are tw o groups, one for Buddhas and one for Bodhisattvas.
For a Buddha:
1. fearlessly realizing all things;
2. fearlessly extinguishing all defilements;
3. fearlessly expounding all obstructions to liberation; and
4. fearlessly asserting the true path to liberation.
For a Bodhisattva:
1• fearlessly teaching the Dharma as he has learned it;
2. fearlessly teaching the D h a rm a according to sentient beings，different inclinations
and spiritual ills;
3. fearlessly dealing with all arguments in teaching; and
4. fearlessly resolving sentient beings ，doubts.
four fruits. T hese are the four stages o f enlightenm ent in the H inayana path, namely, the
stage o f the Stream -cntercr, the O nce-rcturner, the N onreturner, and the A rhat (qq.
v.).
490 N u m e r ic a l G lossary

r great oceans. In B uddhist cosm ology, the four oceans on each o f the four sides o f Mt.
Sum eru. In each ocean there is a continent (see “ four continents”).
: heavy transgressions (for a m onk). 1. Killing, 2. stealing, 3. sexual m isconduct, a n d 4.
lying.
: imm easurables. 1. Kindness (maitri), 2. com passion (karund), 3. jo y (muditd), and 4.
equanim ity (upeksd).
r inducements. The four methods by which a Bodhisattva attracts people to the Dharma:
1. giving unsparingly; 2. using pleasant words; 3. always helping others; 4. comarade-
ship and accom m odation,
r kinds of devotees. The four categories of Buddhist followers: 1. monks (bhiksus)', 2. nuns
(bhiksums)', 3. laymen (updsakas); and 4. laywomen (updsikds).
r kinds of unhindered eloquence. 1. Unhindered eloquence in expressing the Dharma; 2.
unhindered eloquence in explaining the m eaning o f th e D harm a; 3. unhindered c o m ­
m an d oflan g u a g e; and 4. unhin d ere d pleasure in preaching and debating the D harm a.
r kinds o f unim peded understanding. T h e same as the four kinds o f unhin d ere d elo­
quence, but taken from the viewpoint o f the B odhisattva’s understanding,
r mindfulnesses. 1. M indfulness o f the b ody as im pure; 2. mindfulness o f feeling as
suffering; 3. m indfulness o f the m ind as im perm anent; and 4. mindfulness o f dharm as
as dependent, w ith o u t self-entity,
r noble practices. T o be con te n t with: 1. simple clothing; 2. simple sustenance; 3. simple
sleeping facilities; and 4. cultivation o f virtues and severing o f defilements,
four noble truths. T h e four fundam ental truths taught by Buddha:
1. Life is suffering.
a. This is so, first, because any pleasure or happiness has an ending; thus pleasure
o r joy is a prelude to eventual suffering. D uring the experience o f pleasure, one
is afraid o f losing it, causing attachm ent and suffering.
b. M o st pleasures enjoyed b y individuals involve suffering for other beings.
c. In comparison with the ecstasy of samadhi and nirvaijnc joy, all sarhsaric plea­
sures are various forms of suffering. Therefore, from the viewpoint of enlight­
ened beings, all sariisara is a raging fire, including whatever “pleasure” exists
therein. (Cf. the Buddha’s famous Fire Sermon.)
2. D efilements are th e cause o f suffering.
a. W hen desire, the instinct to have and to possess, is fulfilled, it m erely leads to
further desire. T hus desire is b o und to follow a pattern in w hich craving and
greed expand continuously.
b. H atred, animosity, anger, jealousy, etc., are all instincts w hich exclude others
instead o f including them . This increases clinging to ego and aversion to others.
c. Ignorance is the innate w ro n g view concerning the self and things: for example
regarding the im p e rm anent as perm anent, w hat is really suffering as joy, w hat is
n ot a self as a self, and w hat is im pure as pure. Therefore, ignorance is the root
cause o f all suffering in sarhsara.
3. T h e re is a state in w h ic h all suffering is ended. All enlightened beings in B uddhism
testify that there is a state called nirvana, w hich is forever free from all sufferings
and entanglem ents in sarhsara. It is a state beyond w ords and descriptions, yet it
can approxim ately be said to be filled w ith peace, joy, and ultim ate m eaning.
4. T h e re is a correct path that leads to the cessation o f suffering.
a. Discipline, or keeping the precepts, results in the avoidance o f thoughts and
actions w hich hinder o n e ’s spiritual progress.
b. T h ro u g h m editation (dhyana), ever-flow ing discursive tho u g h ts and passion-
desires can be controlled. T h e ordinary state o f m in d is transform ed into a
 N u m e r ic a l G lossary 491

lucid, reflective, pure awareness. B y th e practice o f m editation, great yogic joy,

b o t h physical and mental, is produced. O n e ’s intelligence, insight, compassion,
and spiritual a w a k ening arc enhanced and elevated in all aspccts.
c. T h ro u g h intuitive w isdom ; all precepts and dhyanas are the foundation for the
nondiscursive, penetrating w isd o m to observe the truth o f no-self (andtman). In
M ahayana, the penetrating intuitive w isdom is applied not only to no-self, but
also to the B uddha-nature w ithin and the totality o f the dharm adhatu w ithout.
T hus, by elim inating innate, inborn ignorance, one reaches enlightenm ent.
four reliances. 1. Relying on the true m eaning or spirit o f a D harm a statem ent in a sutra, not
m erely on the w ords o f that statem ent; 2. relying on the teaching, not on any person;
3. relying on intuitive w isdom , not on intellectual understanding; and 4. relying on
sutras that give ultim ate teachings, not on those w hich preach expedient teachings.
four right efforts. 1. Ending existing evil; 2. preventing new evil; 3. causing new virtue; and
4. increasing existing virtue.
four w ro n g views. 1. C onsidering w hat is really im p e rm an e n t to be perm anent; 2. consider­
ing w h a t is really suffering to be joy; 3. considering w hat is not a self to be a self; and
4. considering w hat is im pure to be pure.
four yokes. A n equivalent o f the “ four curren ts” (q.v.); namely, desires, sarhsaric existence,
|w ro n g ] views, and ignorance.
five aggregates. T h e aggregates o f w hich a hu m an being is com posed are: form , feeling,
conception, impulse, and consciousness. T he physical bod y is m ade o f various m ate ­
rials w ith color, shape, and so forth; it belongs to the category o f form . Pain, joy, etc.
belong to the aggregate o f feeling. Conceptions arc the notions or abstract ideas
form ulated by the m ind. Impulses are the mental drives, w hich include the will and all
kinds o f emotions. Consciousness is the faculty o f awareness; for example, the eye-
consciousness is the faculty o f awareness o f forms; the car-consciousness, o f sounds;
the nose-consciousness, o f smells; the tonguc-consciousness, o f tastes, and the m in d -
consciousness, o f dharm as. See also m ain Glossary, ‘‘aggregates .’，
five covcrs. Five dharm as that can “c o v er， ，the m ind and prevent w holesom e dharm as from
arising. T h e y are: 1. desire; 2. anger; 3. drowsiness; 4. excitability and remorse; and 5.
doubt.
five depravities (or five filths). Som e historical periods, such as the present era, are times o f
chaos and degeneration. T h e five are: 1 ■the filth o f kalpa, w hen the historical cycle is
in a period o f degeneration; 2. the filth o f views, w hen all sorts o f w ro n g views
prevail; 3. the filth o f passions, w hen desire, hatred, and other defilements are pre­
dom inant; 4. the filth o f hum an condition, w hen people are m ore often miserable than
happy; and 5. the filth o f life span, w hen the hum an life span diminishes, or, w e may
say, w h e n the leisure and o p p o rtunity to practice the D h a rm a becom e m ore rare.
five desires. See “five sensuous pleasures.”
five grave offenses. 1. Patricide; 2. matricide; 3. killing an Arhat; 4. maliciously causing the
B uddha to bleed; and 5. causing disharm ony in the Saiiigha. Such offenses are said to
lead to birth in the U n in terrupted Hell.
five kinds o f eyes. 1. T h e physical eye; 2. the deva-eye o f celestial beings, w hich can be
developed b y h um ans th rough m editation and w hich can see even in darkness, at great
distances, and th ro u g h obstacles; 3. the w isdom -eye, w hich sees the emptiness o f all
things, is possessed by all enlightened beings, including Sravakas and P ratyekabud­
dhas; 4. the D h arm a-eye o f Bodhisattvas, w hich sees the truth o f the Buddha's teach­
ing and all D harm a-doors; and 5. the Buddha-eye, w hich nondualistically sees every­
thing in its real nature, and w hich is possessed only b y Buddhas.
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five lay precepts. T h e vow s taken b y lay Buddhists, prohibiting: 1. killing; 2. stealing; 3.
lying; 4. sexual m isconduct; and 5. intoxication,
five m iraculous pow ers. T he first five o f the six m iraculous pow ers (q.v.).
five planes o f existence (in sariisara). Usually six: the states o f being a god, an asura, a
h um an, an animal, a h u n g ry ghost, and a hell-dwcller. In the sequence o f five, gods
and asuras are grouped together. Sentient beings in samsara circle w ithin these planes
o f existence according to their karma. T o be liberated is to be freed from destined
rebirth in these planes.
. five pow ers. P ow ers arising from the five roots (q.v.).
five roots. 1. Faith; 2. vigor; 3. mindfulness; 4. concentration; and 5. w isdom . T h e y are
called “roots” bccause they can give rise to other w h o lesom e dharm as.
five sensuous pleasures. Sariisaric delights o f the senses: form s, sounds, scents, tastes, and
textures. T h e a w a kened ones see them as im pure and painful by nature, but ordinary
sentient beings consider them to be pleasurable.

six consciousnesses. T h e consciousnesses associated w ith the eye, car, nose, tongue, body,
and m ind.
six kinds o f quakes. T hree o f m ovem ent: shaking, rising, and surging; and three o f sound:
banging, roaring, and crackling,
six m iraculous pow ers. 1. T h e deva-eye, supernatural vision capable o f seeing things even in
darkness, at great distances, and through obstacles; 2. the deva-ear, supernatural hear­
ing; 3. the pow er to k n o w others' thoughts; 4. the power to k n o w the past lives o f
oneself a n d others; 5. the p o w e r to perform miracles, such as appearing anyw here at
will; a n d 6. th e p o w e r to totally eradicate defilements,
six paramitas. Paramita (q.v. in Glossary) means ‘reaching the other shore ，， ‘perfection， ，or
‘c o n su m m a tio n ，
. T here are usually six, and som etim es ten, paramitas. T he six (ex­
plained in m an y places in the text) are the paramitas o f giving, discipline (precepts),
paticnce, vigor, m editation {dhydtia), and w isd o m (prajna).
In the case o f ten paramitas, four m ore are added to these six, in order to
c orrespon d w ith the ten stages o f a Bodhisattva. T h e four are the paramitas o f inge­
nuity, vow s, pow er, and k n o w le d g e (jndna).
six periods. T h e six divisions o f a day, three for daytim e and three for nighttime: the first,
middle, and last parts o f the day (m orning, m idday, and afternoon); and the first,
middle, and last parts o f the night,
six sense-objects. Form s, sounds, smells, tastes, textures, and m en ta l objects,
six sense-organs. T he eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and m ind.
six w a y s to foster h a rm o n y in a m onastery. T h e cultivators o f pure living in a m on aste ry will
dw ell in m utual respect and harm ony if they do the following: 1 • engage in the same
bodily deeds; 2. engage in the same verbal deeds; 3. engage in the sam e m en ta l deeds;
4. keep the sam e precepts; 5. share m aterial offerings; and 6. hold the sam e views. T h e
very w o rd for the m onastic c o m m u n ity (Sarhgha) implies harm ony,
seven factors o f enlightenm ent. 1. Mindfulness; 2. discriminative investigation o f D harm a; 3.
vigor; 4. joy; 5. ease o f b o d y and m ind; 6. concentration; and 7. equanim ity,
seven treasures. Gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, agate, red pearl, and carnelian.
For a universal m onarch, the seven treasures are: the golden wheel; w hite
elephants; dark steeds; beautiful pearls; fine w o m en; able ministers; and loyal generals.
eight adversities. T h e eight conditions w hich prevent one from seeing the B uddha or hearing
the D harm a: 1. rebirth in hell; 2. rebirth as a hungry ghost; 3. rebirth as an animal; 4.
rebirth in U ttara k u ru (the continent w here life is easy, so that one w h o lives there is
 N - .m e ric a l G l o s s a r y 493

not m otivated :c seek D hirn-^ . 5 rebirth in the long-life heavens (where one is also
not motivated to seek D h a rm a )： 6. rebirth w ith impaired faculties; 7. rebirth as a
w o rldly philosopher clever at sophistry; and 8. rebirth in a w orld where there is no
Buddha.
eight divisions o f divinities. 1. G ods (devas), 2. dragons (nagas), 3. yaksas, 4. gandharvas, 5.
asuras, 6. garudas, 7. kinnaras, and 8. mahoragas. (For descriptions o f each o f these
beings, see m ain Glossary.)
eightfold liberation. Liberation from attachm ent to form s a n d desires th ro u g h eight kinds o f
m editation:
1. Because of having an internal sensual desire for pleasant forms, the yogi meditates
on external im p u re forms.
2. H a v in g no internal desire for form s, the yogi m editates on external form s in ord e r
to stablizc the vision o f impurities.
3. Since there is no impurity remaining, the yogi meditates on pure light of different
colors.
4. The yogi meditates on endless space.
5. T h e yogi m editates on infinite consciousness.
6. The yogi meditates on nothing whatsoever.
7. The yogi meditates on neither conception nor nonconception.
8. The yogi experiences the cessation of conception and feeling.
eightfold noble path. T h e fundam ental teaching o f Sakyam uni Buddha; the path to liberation:
1. Right view: understanding the four noble truths (q.v.) and having penetrative
insight into reality (emptiness).
2. R ight thought: having only thoughts w hich are unselfish, loving, and nonviolent.
3. Right spccch: abstention from lying, slander, harsh o r abusive language, and idle
chattcr.
4. Right action: conducting oneself in moral, peaceful, and honorable ways, and
keeping the basic precepts.
5. Right livelihood: living honorably by a profession which is in no way harmful to
sentient beings, and avoiding such livelihoods as trading in w eapons, intoxicants,
or poisons.
6. Right effort: following the four right efforts (q.v.).
7. R ight mindfulness: practicing the four mindfulnesses (q.v.).
8. R ight concentration: developing o n e ’s m editation according to the four dhyanas
(q.v.).
These eight are som etim es classified in three groups: cthical conduct (right specch,
action, and livelihood); mental discipline (right effort, mindfulness, and concentra­
tion); and w isdom (right view and thought),
eight merits (said of water). 1. Clarity and cleanliness; 2. coolncss; 3. sweetness; 4. lightness;
5. m oistening pow er; 6. ability to give comfort; 7. ability to qucnch thirst; and 8.
ability to im pro v e health,
eight special precepts. V ow s w hich m ay be taken by lay Buddhists for a day’s span or longer:
1. not killing; 2. not stealing; 3. not engaging in sexual activity; 4. not lying; 5. not
taking intoxicants; 6. not singing, dancing, or w earing ornam ents; 7. not sitting or
sleeping on a high bed; and 8. not eating after noon,
eight w o rld ly winds. Four pairs o f influences w hich hinder o n e ’s Dharm a-practice: praise and
blam e, gain and loss, happiness and suffering, and fame and ridicule.

ten directions. T h e eight points o f the com pass (north, south, east, west, northeast, so u th ­
east, northw est, and southwest), plus the zenith and nadir. “In the ten directions” is a
figurative term m eaning “in all space.”
494 N u m e r ic a l G lossary

ten evil deeds. 1. Killing, 2. stealing, 3. sexual m isconduct, 4. lying, 5. harsh speech, 6.
w o rd s causing rifts, 7. frivolous chatter, 8. covetousness, 9. ill will and 10. holding
w ro n g views.
ten g o o d deeds. A bstaining from each o f the ten evil deeds (q.v.).
ten paramitas. T h e six paramitas (q.v.) plus: ingenuity, vow s, pow er, a n d knowledge.
ten powers. T h ere are tw o groups, one for Bodhisattvas and one for Buddhas.
For Bodhisattvas, the ten are: 1. the power of profound aspiration; 2. the
p o w e r o f ever-increasing profound aspiration; 3. the p o w e r o f ingenuity; 4. the p o w er
o f wisdom ; 5. the p o w e r o f vows; 6. the p o w er o f vehicle; 7. the p o w e r o f practice; 8.
the p o w e r o f m iraculous feats; 9. the p o w e r o f enlightenm ent; and 10. the p o w e r o f
turning the D harm a-w heel.
For a Buddha:
1. He knows wisely, as it really is, the possible to be possible, and the impossible to
be impossible.
2. H e k n o w s wisely, as they really are, the karm ic results o f past, future, and present
actions, and o f the undertaking o f actions w ith regard to place and cause.
3. H e k n o w s wisely, as they really are, the various elem ents in the world.
4. H e k n o w s wisely, as they really are, the various dispositions o f other beings and
persons.
5. H e k n o w s wisely, as they really are, the higher and low er faculties o f other beings
and persons.
6. He knows wisely, as it really is, the way that leads everywhere.
7. H e k n o w s wisely, as they really arc, the tranccs, deliverances, concentrations, and
m editational attainm ents, as w ell as their defilements, purifications, and the con­
ditions in w hich they arc well established in purity.
8. He recollects his various previous lives.
9. With his deva-eye, he knows the decease and rebirth of beings as they really arc.
10. Through extinction of the outflows, he dwells in the attainment of the liberation
o f his heart and wisdom , w hich is w ithout outflow s, and w hich has, in this very
life, been well k n o w n and realized by himself.
A n other sourcc gives the following list for the ten pow ers o f a Buddha:
1. H e k n o w s wisely, as it really is, w hat is right or w rong.
2. H e k n o w s wisely, as they really are, the causc and cffcct o f the karm ic result
past, present, and future.
3. He knows wisely, as they really arc, the order and grades of all dhyanas, libera­
tions, samadhis, and other meditational attainments.
4. He knows wisely, as they really arc, the higher and lower faculties of sentient
beings.
5. H e know s wisely, as they really are, the various understandings and aspirations o f
sentient beings.
6. He knows wisely, as they really are, the various conditions and circumstanccs of
sentient beings.
7. He knows wisely, as they really are, which ways and practices lead to which
destinations and conscqucnces (rebirth as a human, a god, etc., or attainment of
sainthood), and also the causc and effect o f such courses.
8. H e rem em bers, as they really arc, past lives.
9. W ith his deva-eye, he k n o w s wisely, as it really is, the decease and rebirth o f
sentient beings, and the m aturity o f g o o d and evil k a rm a in future lives.
10. He knows wisely, as it really is, the present extinction of defilements by himself
and others.
 N u m e r ic a l G lossary 495

ten stages o f a Bodhisattva. These ten stages (Skt. bhumi) are the ten levels o f Bodhisattva
enlightm ent: 1. the Stage o f G reat Joy; 2. the Stage o f Stainless Purity; 3. the Stage o f
Illumination; 4. the Stage o f Intense W isdom ; 5. the Stage o f Invinciblc Strength; 6.
th e Stage o f Dircct Presence; 7. th e Far-Reaching Stage; 8. the Stage o f Im m ovable
Steadfastness; 9. the Stage o f M eritorious W isdom ; and If), the Stage o f the D harm a
Cloud.

tw elve entrances. T h e six sense-organs (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and m ind) and their
corresponding objects (forms, sounds, scents, tastes, textures, and m ental objects). See
also m ain Glossary, “aggregates.”
tw elve links o f dependent origination (Skt. duadasdh^a-pratltya-samutpada). Interlinked factors
o f samsara: ignorance, action, consciousness, nam e and form , the six sense-organs,
contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becom ing, birth, and old age and death.

eighteen elements— Usually translated as ‘eighteen realms', but this translation is misleading.
T h e eighteen arc: a. the six sense-organs (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind); b.
the six sense-objects (forms, sounds, scents, tastes, textures, a n d mental objects); and
c. the six consciousnesses (associated w ith the six organs).
Actually, there are six “re alm s,” each com p o sed o f an organ, an object, and a
consciousness (for exam ple, the eye, form , and the eye-consciousness constitute one
realm). Since there are six such realms, cach composed o f three elements, a better
translation o f the term for the entire group is ‘eighteen elements', rather than ‘eighteen
realms'.
T h e eighteen elements should n o t be confused with the four elements o f m at­
ter, i.e., earth, water, fire, and air. See also main Glossary, “aggregates.”
eighteen unique qualities o f a Buddha. These eighteen virtues are exhibited exclusively b y a
fully enlightened Buddha: 1. unerring bodily actions; 2. unerring verbal actions; 3.
unerring mental actions; 4. impartiality; 5. never losing concentration; 6. rem aining
equanim ous in spite o f his awareness o f all dharmas; 7. unfailing zeal; 8. unfailing
diligence; 9. unfailing mindfulness; 10. unfailing w isdom ; 11. unfailing liberation; 12.
unfailing know ledge and awareness derived from liberation; 13. all bodily deeds guided
b y wisdom ; 14. all verbal deeds guided by wisdom; 15. all mental deeds guided by
w isd o m ; 16. unim peded know ledge o f the past; 17. unim peded know ledge o f the
present; 18. unim peded know le d g e o f the future.

th irty -tw o auspicious signs. T h e m ajor signs adorning the visible body o f a B uddha or that
o f a universal m onarch. Som e exam ples are: a protuberance on the crow n; a curling,
w hite hair betw een the eyebrow s; a golden com plexion; a long，broad tongue: a halo
ten feet in radius; even, close, white teeth; an cxcellcnt voicc, etc.

thirty-seven ways to bodhi. These are: a. the four mindfulnesses; b. the four right efforts; c.
the four bases o f m iraculous powers; d. the five roots; c. the five powers; f. the seven
factors o f enlightenment; and g. the eightfold noble path. (See definitions o f cach
group, listed separately.)

sixty-

cighty m in o r signs. B odily attributes o f a Buddha, more subtle than the thirty -tw o auspi­
cious signs. Examples: coppcr-colorcd nails, thin and lustrous; long, slender fingers;
496 N u m e r ic a l G lossary

youthful com plexion; a soft body; lips colored like a red, bright gourd; face like a full,
clear m o o n ; em itting fragrance from the pores and m outh; deportm ent as aw esom e as
that o f a lion; graceful and steady gait, etc.,
billion-w orld universe.
a. O ne o f the innum erable systems in Buddhist cosm ology, containing a billion w orlds
or solar systems. Each w orld has its sun and m oon, M o u n t Sum eru, eight concen­
tric rings o f mountains separated by eight concentric rings o f oceans, and four
inhabited continents. A w orld reaches up to the first dhyana heaven in the Realm o f
Form .
b. A thousand w o rld s constitute a thousand-w orld universe, w hich reachcs up to
the second dhyana heaven. A thousand thousand-w orld universes constitute a m il­
lion-w orld universe, w h ic h reaches up to the third dhyana heaven. A thousand
m illion-w orld universes constitute a billion-w orld universe, w hich rcaches up to
the fourth dhyana heaven, the highest heaven in the Realm o f Form .